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People Profile: Wexford Ambassador

DERMOT O’LEARY

One of the most recognisable That’s certainly the case with other ventures. He later returned
faces on British – and Irish – Dermot O’Leary – or Dermot Seán as the host in 2016 and then once
TV screens nowadays is that of Fintan O’Leary to give him his full again in 2017.
Dermot O’Leary, the likeable name – who says that, in relation He remains loyal to his Wexford
presenter who has made The to Wexford and his parents’ origins family and still recalls, all these
X Factor his own and is also in the county, he “always felt a years later, those holidays back to
a veteran of many popular connection to the area” when he was the southeast of Ireland as a child.
television and radio ventures. growing up.
“We visited the area every year when
Many in the UK, and even in I was younger, spending six weeks in
Ireland, may not realise that Dermot the summer.”
is first generation Colchester-Irish CURRACLOE BEACH As could be expected, he says
and that both his mother and father, WAS MY FAVOURITE “fond memories include going to
Maria and Seán, are from Wexford.
PLACE AS A KID. A the beach and watching hurling,”
They were among the many who MAGICAL BEACH. so that’s in line with most other
made their way from Ireland to people who choose to summer in
England back in the late 20th Wexford and take advantage of the
century, when the domestic sunny climate, local activities and
economy was still struggling He always speaks with pride about spectacular natural surroundings.
to catch up with its European his connections to Wexford and Of Wexford town itself, he says
counterparts and opportunities indeed, holds dual British and Irish what he likes about it most is that
were few and far between for young citizenship. it’s such a friendly town, while he
adults just out of school and college. Following his childhood in encourages visitors to the area to
Colchester where he attended St
While times have changed since then visit that beautiful, golden stretch of
and we’ve seen a boom, recession Benedict’s Catholic College, Dermot strand just outside the main urban
and now a recovery to the extent broke into broadcasting when he centre. “Curracloe beach was my
that Ireland was recently named the landed a job as a DJ on Essex Radio, favourite place as a kid. A magical
fastest-growing economy in Europe, before earning a slot as a presenter beach.” Not many would disagree
that legacy of Irish emigrants remains on Channel 4’s T4 slot on television. with him there.
in many countries throughout the He then went on to present Big Dermot recently posted a touching
world, not least in the UK. Brother’s Little Brother, a spin-off tribute to his Irish-born parents as
of the Big Brother behemoth, on E4
It’s often the case too, that the Irish he paid a final visit to his childhood
communities in far-flung parts of before taking over as The X Factor’s home in Colchester, sharing a
the globe insist on maintaining main host in 2007, running the photograph of his mother Marie
their original heritage and ensuring gauntlet with the likes of Simon and father Seán outside the house
that the generations that follow, Cowell, Louis Walsh and Sharon he grew up in, saying that they were
even though they’re born away from Osborne, a position he held since moving back to Ireland.
Irish soil, are aware of and proud of 2007 with the exception of 2015, He captioned the family photograph
their roots. when he stepped down to pursue
with, ”Squeezed in a last visit and
supper to O’Leary HQ before
RIGHT: Mam and Dad take the trip back to
Curracloe Beach
Wexford.
“They’ve loved it here. Since they’ve
moved in ‘68 the people have been
nothing but kind, welcoming and
generous to them in a time when
it wasn’t easy to be Irish in Britain.
But, home calls.”

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