Evanne Ní Chuilinn: "I always have to have a challenge"

Photo credit: RTÉ Guide

Continuing her very busy summer on TV, sports presenter Evanne Ní Chuilinn talks to Janice Butler about the highs of the Olympics, her excitement heading into the Paralympics, dealing with disappointment and "the spreadsheet in her head" that keeps family life on the road.

In the words of Kellie Harrington at the Olympic homecoming on Dublin's O’Connell Street, "We’re a small nation, but we’re a mighty nation." The double gold medallist couldn’t have summed up better how we felt about the Irish Olympics team in the last few weeks and as we head into more excitement with the Paris 2024 Paralympics, presenter Evanne Ní Chuilinn is trying to catch her breath after co-anchoring the Olympics for RTÉ.

It’s a family occasion at our cover shoot. Evanne has brought along her daughter Peigí (9), a mini athlete in her own right who is excelling at gymnastics and shows off some of her skills as the morning goes on.
As she prepares to work on the Paralympics, how does she reflect on the last few weeks and the excitement around the Irish athletes?

"For a lot of people, they tune into some of the more obscure sports every four years at the Olympics but for us, we have to keep on top of these guys every year with the World and European Championships; ahead of the Olympic cycle. So, when it comes to the Olympics, you’re relying on that knowledge that you already have; otherwise it would be a very difficult task to do.

"It’s the same with the Paralympics. It’s one of my favourite events to either work on or attend. I was at the Paralympic games in Rio and worked on them in Tokyo and there’s something very special around the energy of them and the movement that’s happening with the Paralympic athletes. I admire all athletes but the athletes who play Para-sport have not just put in the hours and dedicated their lives to representing their country, they’ve also had to deal with significant adversary. I probably wouldn’t survive that – I think they are incredible human beings and I love being able to follow their fortunes and support them."

Ireland took home an impressive seven medals in the Paris games and Evanne predicts we’ll be adding to our medal count with the Paralympics.

"We will come away with medals. There’s been some very significant and high profile retirements from the team since the last Paralympic games. And any nation that has Jason Smyth retiring will be significantly weaker because he was the fastest man on the planet in the sprint category for so long. We’ve also had Michael McKillop and Niamh McCarthy retire to do other things with their lives. But it also makes way for young, new talent to come and step out of the shadows. The two names I’d tell people to look out for are Orla Comerford on the track and Roisin Ni Riain in the pool."

The last time I spoke to Evanne, she was pregnant with her third child Teidí, who is now 2 and a half and has "completed the family", which also includes husband Brian, son Séimí (12) and the aforementioned Peigí. She had a difficult road conceiving him and ultimately had IVF. She decided to stay home when the Tokyo Olympics came around, due to the health risks of Covid and bouts of hyperemesis.

"Yeah, I didn’t go to Tokyo and to be quite honest, Teidí was part of the reason why I didn’t travel to Paris as well," she says. "Two kids are much more manageable than three, domestically speaking," she laughs.
"I know people throw the word 'juggle’ around but I do feel like a clown half the time and it’s not just the ferrying about, it’s the mental load of who needs to be where and how far in advance do I need to plan the week, especially when I was in studio each day for the Olympics. It’s like a spreadsheet in my brain and it can be hard to keep track of," she admits.

"It really does take a village when you’re trying to figure out the domestic stuff," she adds.

Evanne admits that her mother, Catherine, was drafted in from Kilkenny to help with home life during the busy Olympic schedule.

"For the second half of the Olympic games my mam moved in with us for the week and my husband and eldest son went to Portugal to play golf. I have to say, it was the best week ever! I had my mam at home and the house was a lot quieter than it normally is," she laughs. "Mam was great, such a huge help. I would have been lost without her. That’s the same in every family, but when these big events come up in work, I do like to give the job priority."

Evanne, a natural broadcaster, who has worked in RTÉ for 20 years, says that anchoring the Olympics was a life-long ambition and after dealing with some professional disappointment last year, she was determined to put her best foot forward with this role.

"When you work in this industry, you won’t always get what you want. There’s been jobs that have come up that I’ve been in the running for, that I’ve done as a substitute for different people and when the job itself comes up, I didn’t get it. That’s really disappointing and disheartening. So, when you do get the job you want, you have to celebrate it and do as good a job as you can," she says.

The job in question was as host on The Sunday Game, when Des Cahill stepped back from the role. In the end, Evanne’s friend and colleague Jacqui Hurley got the job.

"I really wanted that job. I was devastated, but I never told anyone I was. I put my head down and kept going. So to get to do the Olympics and know I did a good job."

She says that disappointment teaches good life lessons, something she’s trying to pass onto her kids.
"I would be good at brushing myself off," she states, "and it’s how I encourage my children to do the same when they’ve had disappointments with their sports. How you deal with adversity is what makes you as a person; sulking, pouting and throwing the toys out of the pram is not the most admirable way to handle things. So, I try and lead by example and keep working hard and keep my head held high and trust what will be, will be."

Evanne has always been competitive: as a young girl growing up in Kilkenny with sister Áine and brother Cormac, who sadly passed in 2013. She thrived on competitive sport and did everything from tennis to swimming, camogie, football and athletics – it's no wonder she ended up reporting on sports.

Her competitive nature has passed onto her children: the eldest Séimí plays golf, football, hurling and soccer and as mentioned earlier, Peigí is a serious competitor in gymnastics. She notes how much the athletes this summer and the para-athletes coming up will have inspired children and the next generation.

"I think with Paris being in pretty much the same time zone, children really got a chance to grasp the Olympics. It was a really positive experience for them and exposed them to their own and other sports. It gave them the vision that they could do the same one day. I know Peigí and the little boys and girls at her gymnastics club were all looking at what Rhys McClenaghan did, winning gold."

She added another string to her bow last year with the release of her debut book, The Great Irish Book of Gaelic Games, using her vast experience to create a guide through the wonderful world of the national sports. She says that she has another book brewing but just needs to find the time to get started on it.

"I have a book written in my head, but I haven’t told anyone about it. It’s been in my head for about three years, so I just need to get it down on paper," she laughs. "It’s totally different to the last one. Once I get this summer over, I’d love to write it. I had a bit of imposter syndrome with the first one but now that’s gone, and I understand the process and how to go about it," she adds.

"I always have to have a challenge and if there isn’t one in front of me, I have to find one. Ill at ease, isn’t that what they say?" she laughs.

Evanne says she will take a "breath, clean my house and sleep" once the kids go back to school and the Paralympics are over, but like any good competitor, she will have her sights set on four years' time, when the Olympic 2028 games start in Los Angeles.

"It would be amazing to go to L.A, I’ll definitely be putting my hand up for that one!"