Eric Roberts has revealed that while the often stressful process of building a home has been easier than he expected, himself and wife Niamh are facing some tough decisions when the house is built.
The couple left their native Donegal when Eric landed a job hosting weekends on Ireland AM, and Eric admits that having moved his family to Dublin, they will have to consider their future when the house in Donegal is finished.
“The house is going amazing. We started building before I was offered Ireland AM, so when we had to move to Dublin, we decided not to rush it as we weren’t sure how long we will be here”, Eric told RSVP Magazine.
“We’re just chipping away at it — no pressure. It’s nice going home and seeing the progress, but we’re not checking it every day.
“It’s been nearly four years since we did the plans, so when we walk through now, I’m like, “Whose room is this? Why does Rian have a walk in wardrobe?” [laughs]. It’s fun.
“It’ll be finished this year, definitely. The kitchen is going in over the next few weeks, which is amazing, and once that’s done it should move quite quickly. It’s made great progress already, so then it’ll just be interiors and deciding what direction we want to go in. I imagine it’ll be ready this year.”
However Eric admits the house being finished won’t change his current reality, which is that his work and most of his opportunities are currently based in Dublin.
“It’s tricky because we don’t really know what the next few years look like. I love Ireland AM and have no intention of leaving. There may be more TV opportunities too”, he admits.
However, despite the logic of being in Dublin, Eric admits he feels passionate about wanting to raise their family at home in Donegal.
“I’ll always need to be in Dublin for work, so maybe if I’m back to commuting a lot down the line we could look at buying here too. I’m not sure what work will look like but I know we want to raise our family in Donegal — that’s home”, he says.
“Our family and friends are here. I want Rian to grow up with his cousins and go to the school I went to. So it’s something we’ll have to figure out, even if it means daddy is on the road a lot again. “
The couple revealed they had tried commuting back and forth went Eric first began presenting, but it proved too much for the family.
“When I was offered the job on Ireland AM, myself and Niamh spoke at length about what it might mean. We actually tried a couple of weekends travelling back and forth — renting apartments for the weekend and then driving back to Donegal after the show — but it wasn’t working, and it was too much with a young baby”, he admits.
And while the move has been a success, Eric admits he does miss home and his old life in many ways.
“I’m such a homebird. I had my routine up there and I feel like I can switch off when I’m at home”, he admits.
“When I come up to Dublin, I’m Eric Roberts the influencer — going to events, red carpets, on television. But when I go home, it all stops. No one cares. I’m still the same Eric who grew up around my friends and family and the lads. I can pop into the shop and no one bats an eyelid, so it’s nice.
“I can sort of disassociate from the madness that it can be up here, so it can be hard to switch off at times. That’s one thing I definitely miss about being home.”
And with an unrelenting work schedule, coupled with becoming a father, Eric admits he found it difficult to find time to meet new people and form those close ties in the city.
“Niamh has a huge amount of friends in Dublin — she did her teaching degree up here, so she’s in her element. She’s absolutely adored it,” he explained.
“Whereas I wouldn’t have as many, because my world got incredibly small when we moved up here. With Dancing with the Stars starting, all I’ve done for the last few months is go to work and go home. I haven’t really had time to enjoy anything about living in the city.
“I did the Dublin Half Marathon recently, and a couple of my friends came up from Donegal to do it with me. We went for pints after, and I don’t think I’d ever been more excited — just to sit and have a few pints with the boys. I hadn’t done it in about six months. It’s stuff like that you miss.
“But that’s part of being a new dad too — everyone goes through it. I want to be as present as I can with my family because I’m so busy and I never know what’s coming up. Any opportunity I have to just be at home and do nothing, I take it with both hands.
“Especially since Dancing with the Stars stopped, because it was seven hours a day, seven days a week for so long, and Niamh was incredible through all of that. She never complained and was so supportive, so I really owe it to her to make them number one.”
To read the full interview with Eric and see all the stunning photos, pick up a copy of RSVP’s June issue, on shelves now.
Photography by Kate Nolan @kate_nolan_photography
Styling by Laura Mullett, @lauramullettstylist
Hair by Sarah Nugent, IG: @sarahhair.x
Make-up by Jade Mullett, IG: @jademullettmua
Location: St Helens Hotel, Dublin
St. Helen’s is now part of The Scally Hotel Collection, which includes Hayfield Manor in Cork, Great Southern Killarney, and Killarney Royal Townhouse. This is a proud Irish family-owned group of luxury hotels with a deep passion for genuine hospitality and memorable experiences. As part of this transition, the estate will now be known simply as St. Helen’s, a name that reflects both our distinguished history and our renewed vision for the future. This marks the beginning of an exciting new era for St. Helen’s.
Contact St Helen’s for your next overnight stay, conference or BBQ event in Dublin, 01 218 6000, www.sthelenshotel.ie
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