Holly to bring ‘fascinating story of St Patrick to audience in UK’

Holly to bring ‘fascinating story of St Patrick to audience in UK’

21 February 2024

AWARD-WINNING broadcaster Holly Hamilton has returned to her native Co Down to film St Patrick’s Way in Downpatrick.

Holly, who is a familiar face as presenter of BBC Sunday Morning Live, spent last Thursday with a film crew, visiting sites such as the Saint Patrick Centre, Saul Parish Church, Slieve Patrick and St Patrick’s grave at Down Cathedral.

“We saw some of the most beautiful scenery in the world and I am not exaggerating,” she said.

“I have travelled quite a bit and worked in so many different places and people talk about the Scottish Highlands or Cornwall and I have no idea why no one is really talking about this particular area. And it is right here on our doorstep.”

The Greyabbey native, who has returned to live in Northern Ireland while working in England, says she looks forward to exploring more of the area in the future with her husband, Connor Phillips, and her son, Fionn, who is now three.

Holly toured the sites along with cameraman Chris Eva and production assistant Natasha Boorman.

BBC’s Sunday Morning Live will showcase their trip on St Patrick’s Day, which falls on a Sunday this year.

Holly said she learned a lot about St Patrick, including his lack of faith as a youth and his Christian mission, as she visited the key sites, including Saul where Patrick founded his first church in 432AD.

She described St Patrick as an “early influencer” after hearing the story of his life and his writings.

“He was a deeply religious man and he has done wonderful things. I think I learned a lot about the warmth of St Patrick and the type of character he was, and the reason he was so popular.”

She said Patrick’s story has been conflated between history, myth and legend.

“He wasn’t a ‘party Patrick’ but was something in the middle. He was like an early influencer in that people wanted to get on side with him and people wanted him to be part of their cause and people followed him and believed in what he had to say.”

Asked why Sunday Morning Live decided to come and film St Patrick’s Way, she said it was a natural fit with the show which looks at religion and ethics.

“We wanted to get to the root of who St Patrick was and why he is such a huge influence across the world,” she explained.

“What surprises me is how little people know about St Patrick, someone we profess to know a lot about and I include myself in that. We think it is a brilliant and fascinating story and we wanted to bring that to a  wider audience across the UK.”

As a child growing up in Greyabbey, Hamilton was keenly aware of the history of John de Courcy and how he became Earl of Ulster after conquering the local chieftain around Downpatrick.

It was de Courcy who named Downpatrick after the patron saint and whose wife Affreca is buried at Greyabbey.

“I used to have a little toy mouse called Affreca and I remember the story we were taught when we were little and the visits to Carrickfergus Castle. And I loved the story as I have always been a history buff.”

Holly is delighted to be back home, a decision she and her husband took around the time of lockdown when she became pregnant with Fionn.

“My husband and I decided we would leave home and be closer to our families and their parents.

“I work between London and Manchester and I do feel I have the best of both worlds. Life is easier here.”

She said had to take the boat home from England as she was not able to fly when she was about to give birth.

“I waddled on to the Stena Line,” she joked, admitting that she half-expected Fionn to be born somewhere on the Irish Sea. “The first protocol baby,” she quipped in a nod to our local politics.

She now lives not too far from Stormont where power-sharing was recently restored. She and her husband are patrons of NICIE, passionately supporting integrated education.

Holly’s career began in radio in Dundee before she moved into television. Journalism is in her blood – her mum, Kim, is a former journalist.

“I knew straight away I wanted to be a journalist and my mum tried very hard to talk me out of it as it is not an easy job. But I have always been a storyteller and a talker.”

The broadcaster, who has successfully worked in the industry for around ten years, said her aspiration was to work for the Newtownards Chronicle, like her mum.

“The editor let me review a VHS animated film and my first article was printed in the Newtownards Chronicle when I was eleven. I was so excited to see my name in print. And I really wanted to do a job I got excited about.”

But when she received a job offer from Scottish radio in Dundee after graduating from the university there, she asked the Chronicle editor, the late John Savage, for some advice. “He said ‘if you have a job offer in journalism, take it. They don’t come along that often’.”

Although it felt like a risk at the time, she said it was worth it. “They had to take a risk on me as I had no experience. I was fresh and green and straight out of university. Taking risks has been a constant throughout my career.”

She is delighted that the decision to return home has paid off and is enjoying life as a commuting working mother.

“Nothing makes me happier than when Fionn is on set with me.”

The one thing that has changed while covering sports events such as Wimbledon and her morning show? Her accent.

“I have slowed down slightly. But I have always maintained my accent as it is really important to me.”

And, after visiting St Patrick’s Way and hearing more historical details of the patron saint’s life, she says may opt to wear St Patrick’s blue, instead of the traditional green.