IF MAM TAUGHT ME ANYTHING, IT’S TO ENJOY LIFE!

Ahead of her first Mother’s Day without her beloved Mary V, presenter Elaine Crowley says the best tribute she can pay her mam is to live her life to the full

Tomorrow as cards and flowers are being delivered all over the country and breakfast in bed is being clumsily made by little loving hands, Elaine Crowley will be on Ireland AM, celebrating mothers everywhere. Ever the consummate professional, her TV smile will mask her own pain as this Mother’s Day will be her first without her beloved mum Mary V, who passed away from lung cancer in November.

‘I’m not looking forward to it, the show will be centred around mothers,’ Elaine admits of the day ahead. ‘But you have to suck it up as it’s my job at the end of the day.

‘The first weekend back after I had time off when Mam died, I was interviewing people who had cancer. Yes, it’s really hard and I bawled and cried when I came off air but if it’s your job you just have to do it and put everything else to the side.’

Coming from a big family as Elaine does, she feels the day will be harder for her. ‘My sisters all have kids – they can look at it a bit differently as they’ll be getting presents and treats from their own children, though it will still hurt. But I’m not a mother and I have no mother, there’s no auntie’s day so it’s a sad one for me. It’s tough at the moment.’

One look at Elaine’s social media pages would be enough to show the bond mother and daughter shared. Their adventures together are well