The Taoiseach appeared on the first episode of Virgin Media’s The Assembly last night
13:27, 20 Jan 2026Updated 15:50, 20 Jan 2026
Taoiseach Micheál Martin on The Assembly(Image: Virgin Media)
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that overcoming the tragic deaths of his children required ‘a lot of soul searching’ as he opened up on his experiences with grief and how he managed to keep going in a new interview aired on Monday night.
The Taoiseach was the first guest on The Assembly, a new Virgin Media show in which a panel of neurodivergent interviewers question guests on a wide range of topics, many of which would never come up in a more traditional interview. Martin fielded questions on everything from the Saipan incident to his views on former Fianna Fáil leaders, but when asked about his children, the tone shifted as he explained how he dealt with the grief of their passing.
Martin and his wife, Mary, lost their son Ruairí in 1999 due to a cot death, and in 2010 their daughter passed away shortly before her eighth birthday following an illness. The couple have three other children, Micheál Aodh, Aoibhe and Cillian.
The Taoiseach said: “Ruairí died from a cot death at five weeks old, and up to that stage of our lives, we had never experienced that kind of trauma, but that hit me [and Mary] for six at the time.
“The two children, Micheál Aodh and Aoibhe, were four and two, respectively, and you know what, you have to get up the following morning to get them breakfast and to play. Something of the human instinct, you continue on. You keep going.”
Martin said that Léana’s passing was absolutely devastating for the family and that he had to do a lot of soul searching before ultimately deciding to continue his career in politics. The Taoiseach said that returning to work and resuming his routines helped him overcome his grief.
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He continued: “You could retreat and not do things, and I was young enough at the time, but if I had retired or didn’t go on, I think that would probably have had a worse effect on my life.
“You don’t make these decisions as kind of, totally rationally, you just keep going in some respects. Work and routine are very important to overcome or deal with trauma. It will never bring your loved ones back, but it enables you to try and live life to the best of your ability and to the fullest extent you possibly can.”
Clips of the interview were posted to social media after the show aired, with many coming forward to commend the Taoiseach for the sincerity of his answer.
One commenter said: “Crying watching this. What a strong man. I cannot imagine the pain He went through. This was so raw and so real. It goes to show we are all human and experience pain and trauma in life, no matter who you are or what you work at. Big hugs, and what a great interview”
Another added: “This is a remarkable programme with a lot of thought, research & planning put into it. I was really touched by the group involved. Great collaboration. And well done to Michaèl Martin, sending condolences & comfort to him, his wife Mary and their family.”
The format of The Assembly has been successful abroad, both in fostering thought-provoking conversations and in helping dispel myths about neurodivergence. All members of the panel were diagnosed with autism, and future episodes will see them interviewing other household names like Ryan Tubridy, Joanne McNally and Rosie O’Donnell.
The second episode of the show will air on Virgin Media One at 9 pm on Monday, January 26.