Nationwide aired a story about a former footballer turned priest on Wednesday night's show and the man at the centre of the story has been garnering a lot of attention online.

Presenter Colm Flynn interviewed Niall McDonagh about his journey to faith following a string of family tragedies.

Speaking about his decision to join the priesthood, the 34-year-old Galway native said: "I had to deal with the death of my older brother. When you go through these tragic events in your life, you have to make a decision.

"I couldn't change my circumstances, so in many ways, I was forced to change myself.

"One of my late brother's belongings was his Bible and so late at night, for whatever reason, I began to read the scriptures and I started to develop a relationship with God."

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McDonagh then moved to New York to volunteer with the homeless and drug addicts and join a seminary.

Following his appearance on Nationwide, viewers took to Twitter to share their reactions.