Mairead Ronan has revealed how she adored Marian Finucane, both as a broadcaster and as a person.
She explained: “I was really really shocked. I adored her and I don't say that lightly.
“My mother-in-law and her are friends so I got to know her for the last nine years so that is the connection."
She also revealed Marian attended her 2015 wedding to Louis Ronan in Tipperary, RSVP Live reports.
Mairead said that Marian changed weekend radio in Ireland and made it what it is today.
With more than 400,000 listeners, The Marian Finucane Show was a favourite with listeners right around the country.
Mairead told RSVP Live: “It was really her weekend show. I just loved it. She revolutionised weekend radio.
"Weekend radio was nothing [before her] it was kind of a thing where you were sent off to just retire. It was the slot to push you on your way out and in typical Marian Finucane fashion, she got it and made it the best radio slot in the country for two days."
"Everyone has been talking about her old stuff, her Women’s Hour. That means nothing to me, I was a kid. I don’t know if I was even born."
Mairead was the first female winner of Dancing with the Stars after beating Johnny Ward and Cliona Hagan with her partner John Nolan.
And she thinks that a girl could win again this year.
She said: “There are some amazing girls. I have seen Lottie dance and I have see Sinead dance really strong.
"I have seen a bit of Mary dance. Her legs were talked a lot about on Twitter the other night.”
