Yvonne: ‘As a schoolgirl I wanted to be a nun’
SHE’S shown remarkable devotion to friends, family and career throughout her life – and broadcaster Yvonne Connolly has now confessed that she once wanted to become a nun!
And Ronan Keating’s former wife, who turned 45 yesterday, has also revealed that she will never marry again.
The one-time Celebrity MasterChef star said she was very religious when she was a pupil at boarding school.
And when the time came to leave, she considered joining the novice nuns who were in the same building.
‘It was such a safe time,’ the mother-of-three said. ‘We all felt pressure but we were in such a bubble. I was quite religious and when it was time to leave, I seriously considered staying and becoming a nun because of the big scary world out there. I thought it would be nice to stay.
‘It was very tranquil. I remember my graduation from school and everyone was a bit teary and my mum was like: “It’s so nice you enjoyed your time here.”
‘And then 20 minutes later, she was like: “Pull yourself together, you’re making a show of yourself.” I was still crying.
‘I really enjoyed that time of my life. I had a really nice childhood.’
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today With Maura & Dáithí on Thursday, Yvonne, whose marriage to Boyzone star Keating broke up after he had an affair, said she would not be walking up the aisle again. She described cinematographer John Conroy, her partner of seven years, as ‘a gorgeous man’ but added that they have no plans to marry.
‘We have no intention of getting married again. We have our children. We are happily unmarried and it suits us,’ she said.
The former model said none of her friends or family joked that it was time she got a ring. ‘I’ve been quite clear from the start – I’m not going to get married again and John feels the same.’
She said the relationship works because work and other commitments force them to spend time apart regularly. She explained: ‘John is away a lot so we are always missing each other and wanting to spend more time together.’
She said the couple were lucky that their children all got along.
And the TV chef and columnist said she now felt she was in ‘a great place’.