Miriam's guests this Sunday are Children's Ombudsman Emily Logan and her husband, Connell Foley, director of strategy with Concern.
Emily and Connell talk about how they were matchmade by friends, when Emily was in her late 30s and Connell was 40. He was "smitten" straightaway, she took a bit longer but within five weeks had asked him to move in with her. "I was struck by what a free and independent person he was. I got the strong impression he would respect who I am. He wasn't looking for me to change."
Seven years ago Emily was interviewed by children for her job as Children's Ombudsman. At her first press conference she recommended that there be an amendment to the Constitution on children’s rights, and a referendum is going ahead this year, though she says she expects the wording will be cautious: “I think that what we will see will not be radical.”
Emily talks about her years training as a nurse in Temple Street Children’s Hospital and going on to gain enormously valuable clinical and managerial experience at the world-famous Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, experience which was instrumental in her returning to Ireland at 33 to become director of nursing at Crumlin Children’s Hospital. Connell, meanwhile, had become an aid worker and worked for six years in Cambodia before returning to Ireland to work for Concern International.
They talk about the recent death of Emily’s mother Mar, and how a chance encounter with the poet Brendan Kennelly gave Emily comfort at a difficult time. Connell says Emily's heart is "like molten lava, like the purest nectar... if you distilled it, you'd make a fortune. She has such warmth and affection... I think children see that in her."
Their choices of music are Pretty Baby by Eddie Cantor, The West Coast of Clare by Andy Irvine with Planxty, Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) by Bob Marley, and May You Never by John Martyn.