Zainab Boladale from Ennis, Co. Clare has become the newest presenter on news2day, RTÉ’s news service for a young audience, and the first RTÉ news anchor of Afro-Irish heritage.
The 20-year-old was born in Lagos, Nigeria but has lived in Ennis since she was four years old. The first-time television presenter secured her new job following a call-out to media and journalism graduates across the country, and a comprehensive audition process.
She was chosen to join the team and began broadcasting live this week on RTÉ Two and RTÉ News Now.
Zainab studied journalism in Dublin City University and has previously worked as a digital news reporter. In 2017 she was named Journalist of the Year at the DCU Hybrid Awards and was nominated in the same category in the Union of Students in Ireland Achievement Awards.
She went to primary school in Scoil Chriost Rí Cloughleigh and spent the first three years of secondary school in Gaelcholaiste an Chláir, Ennis where she became a Gaeilgeoir.
A major Doctor Who and sci-fi fan, Zainab says her hobbies include cooking, photography, travelling, visiting galleries and museums. She has also performed in spoken word poetry competitions.
She joins current news2day presenter Tommy Meskil, also from Co.Clare. He studied Communications Studies at Dublin City University (DCU), and interned with Clare FM during his studies.
After completing his degree he worked as a newsreader with Spirit Radio, East Coast FM and then became a reporter at Dublin station FM104 before joining RTÉ News.
news2day is broadcast Monday to Friday at 4.20pm on RTÉ Two and RTÉ News Now. In addition to young viewers tuning in at home, it is also watched online in many classrooms throughout the country and used as a teaching tool.
You can watch Zainab and Tommy on news2day here and follow them on twitter at @news2dayRTE
RTÉ also confirmed on Monday that Bryan Dobson will be leaving RTÉ News Six One to take up a new presenting role on Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1.
