Irish Daily Mirror

THERE’S SOMETHIN ABOUT MARY..

Broadcaste­r says DWTS helping her get fitter than ever

- BY MIKIE O’LOUGHLIN news@irishmirro­r.ie

YESTERDAY

DANCING With The Stars’ Mary Kennedy is “using muscles she has never used before” since signing up for the show. The RTE broadcaste­r used to rely on a run near her Dublin home while fronting Nationwide to stay fit but said dancing is helping her be more flexible.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror, she added: “I have lost weight since Christmas… I haven’t run since I started this because there aren’t any more hours in the day.

“My body would have been much stiffer and I am 65 years of age and running is not good for flexibilit­y and keeping yourself supple.

“When I was working full time with Nationwide I didn’t have time to be doing anything else other than starting at my front door and finishing at my front door and a doing a half hour, or 36 minutes.”

Mary’s energy levels are through the roof thanks to her pro partner John Nolan and now she is calling on other people who are a similar age as her to follow her lead.

She said: “I remember Karl Henry saying to me the more you use stiff muscles, the less stiff they become. I can verify that, it is so true.

“And for people of my age, that is a really important lesson to know and to take on board. It is an important fact of life.

“It is so lovely to use your body in this way, I think using your body to dance is a huge celebratio­n of life.

“I really honestly hope people my age would look at me and say, ‘Yeah, why not?’ It could be cycling, swimming or taking up a new language.

“When you look at somebody like Keelin Shanley who died so young, it is a reminder we have to make the most of the moment.

“We have to foster fitness and good health in any way we can.”

MORE than 5,000 engineerin­g jobs are set to be created in Ireland this year.

The positions will be in areas relating to the green economy, constructi­on, digital manufactur­ing and artificial intelligen­ce, a new report from Engineers Ireland has revealed.

Chief Caroline Spillane said: “It is hugely encouragin­g our industry continues to offer so many exceptiona­l job opportunit­ies in such a wide array of engineerin­g discipline­s.”

I think using your body to dance is a celebratio­n of life MARY KENNEDY

 ??  ?? ALL THE MOVES.. Mary Kennedy & John Nolan
ALL THE MOVES.. Mary Kennedy & John Nolan

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