TV star Eibhlín Ní Chonghaile has confirmed she has split from Mount Falcon Estate hotelier Alan Maloney.
The couple had a fairytale romance after meeting during Ladies Day at the Galway Races in 2009.
They wed on October 1, 2022 at their family home on the historic grounds of Mount Falcon Estate in Co Mayo in front of close family and friends.
Eibhlín Ní Chonghaile. Pic: RTE
After 13 years together and welcoming three children – daughter Ally, nine, and sons Finn, seven, and five-year-old Seán – the couple decided to get married just eight weeks before their big day.
But now Eibhlín has confirmed to EVOKE that she and Alan are no longer together.
However, when asked if she like to make any further comment on their marriage split, the TV presenter declined.
Eibhlín Ní Chonghaile’s wedding to Alan Maloney. Pic: Supplied
Eibhlín, who has spent the last 23 years gracing our TV screens on every channel from TG4 and RTE to Virgin Media and Raidio na Gaeltachta covering news and current affairs, previously opened up to us about her fairytale romance to Alan after meeting on Ladies Day at the Galway Races.
She previously told EVOKE: ‘I swear, he walks over in the bar and I turn around. I just love his height and his stature anyway – that would be my caveman kind of guy – and I obviously liked him.
‘He had this mid-Atlantic accent and he said he was from Mayo.
Eibhlín Ní Chonghaile. Pic: RTE
‘So the connection was that I was nicknamed at the time the Mayo correspondent because I was doing all the gas stories and I was really knowledgeable on Mayo at that stage so we had a huge discussion about that, but then we got lost, we moved to the couches in the foyer and he didn’t see us, and we parted.’
Alan, who is co-owner of Mount Falcon Estate walked up to her at the bar, and while they eventually lost each other in the crowd they did manage to exchange cards.
‘It was funny because I came up with my best friend but he didn’t know and I asked for a bedroom for two and he is checking with reception every five seconds did she specify a twin room, is it a boyfriend? He didn’t know what was coming up.’
The pair had dinner that night with friends and afterward, he invited her to come downstairs. ‘He had the porter put on a fire and bring in tea and toast and we talked. He said, “my life is a little bit messy but can you promise me to wait for me?” Straight off I said yes.
‘So we had a slightly tumultuous year after that where it was highs and lows,’ she says. ‘But I was 32 and it was very romantic. When everyone doubted the situation I never doubted it.’
Eibhlín Ní Chonghaile’s wedding to Alan Maloney. Pic: Michael Pajkert
Eibhlín admitted previously that she didn’t make contact until Christmas to wish him a Happy Christmas before he invited her down to Mount Falcon to stay with a friend, and after a wonderful dinner, he asked her to meet him in the drawing room later that night where they enjoyed tea and toast in front of a roaring fire.
The 48-year-old mum-of-three told One Fab Day at the time about the moment Alan proposed while abroad. She said: ‘He’d been acting quite strange and leaving the table quite a lot that evening.
‘Of course, I found out afterwards that he was trying to get through to my father in Connemara to seek his approval. I was seven and a half months pregnant with my daughter Ally and I remember feeling so fortunate.
Eibhlín Ní Chonghaile. Pic: RTE
‘The next day we joined friends and family on an archaeological cruise of the Mediterranean, so it was a great start to the rest of our lives and terribly romantic,’ she said.
Reflecting on her big day, Eibhlín told EvVOKE at the time: ‘I’m practical and had never considered myself to be a wedding person but when I walked down the stairs into the foyer and saw everyone, there was this really special feeling which I didn’t expect to have.’