After many happy years in Italy, it’s time for Irish journalist Colm Flynn and his wife Paola to embark on a new adventure.
The couple, who said I Do in Co Clare in 2024, have announced that they’ll soon be packing their bags and on the move.
Colm teased that a big change was on the way earlier in the week, but on Thursday confirmed that they’re moving out of the city where they met and fell in love.
Colm Flynn and his wife Paola. Pic: Supplied
They’re heading stateside, relocating to Washington DC to work with EWTN, a US network that covers Catholic issues and stories of faith. Colm has been working with the station for a number of years.
One of the people whom Colm and Paola, who is also a journalist, had to say goodbye to before leaving Rome was the Irish Ambassador to the Holy See, Frances Collins.
Sharing a picture from their goodbyes, Colm said: ‘Thank you so much for all your support and friendship to Paola and me during our time in Rome. You have been an incredible ambassador for Ireland and have done so much to shine a light on the great work of so many Irish missionaries around the world.
Irish journalist Colm Flynn and his wife, Paola, with the Irish Ambassador to the Holy See. Pic: Colm Flynn / X
‘Thank you for allowing us to collaborate with you and, most of all, for being a true friend. Paola and I will stay in touch as we embark on our new adventure.’
On Thursday, they caught up with Keith Pitt, the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See. Keith clearly holds the couple in high esteem as he shared a snap of them and said: ‘Good luck in your new adventure – will miss your inexhaustible good humour!’
Irish journalist Colm Flynn and his wife Paola with the Australian Ambassador to the Holy See. Pic: Colm Flynn / X
This won’t be Colm’s first rodeo in the US, as he lived in New York while working for the BBC World Service after stints at Clare FM and RTÉ Radio back at home.
Chatting about his last time working in the US, Colm previously told EVOKE: ‘It was so fascinating because I got to travel all over the US and meet people who had incredible stories to tell. It was also a fascinating time politically and socially in the country.’
Colm Flynn and his wife Paola. Pic: X
During this time, he was also freelancing for EWTN, and it was through EWTN that he ended up moving to Rome to cover the Vatican and eventually met Paola.
Telling EVOKE how they met, Colm said: ‘Paola followed me after seeing one of my reports, and I followed her back! Then, in true romantic style, I sent her a message and asked her to go for lunch.
‘We had a beautiful lunch on a street next to the Vatican, and as soon as it was over, I asked her to meet again.’ And the rest, as they say, was history!