Keelin Shanley’s husband Conor opens up about being a single dad

Nearly two years after the tragic passing of Irish broadcaster Keelin Shanley, Conor Ferguson, Keelin’s husband, opens up about how his family has adapted to being a family of three, and how he’s coped being a single dad.

The entire nation felt the heartbreak which followed Keelin’s untimely passing back in February 2020, after the 51-year-old mum-of-two lost her battle with cancer. However, none felt it so strongly than her husband Conor and their two children, Lucy and Ben.

Opening up about what it’s been like, adapting to life without Keelin, Conor said, “It is hard, partly because there's two of them and there's only one of me,” when speaking to Claire Byrne on her RTE Radio 1 show.

“They were kind of raised to think they have an equal vote on everything. It is hard having to make decisions now and trying to say no when there’s only one of you,” he continued, before recalling his and Keelin’s different parenting roles.

“Often when I said no and Keelin would say yes anyways,” he explained, adding, “It is hard but they really accept the new relationship. They've been very strong and very independent and both of them cook the dinner regularly.

“I think at times they know when they're pushing their luck,” Conor added.

A documentary aired on RTÉ yesterday evening as a tribute to Keelin, with Conor commenting that he wanted the programme to serve as a monument for his children.

“A place where they could go and they could see the mother that they remember and see their own role in that,” he explained.

 

Cover Photo: VIPIRELAND.COM