Mary Kennedy’s retirement begins with appearance on Dancing With the Stars
Party season is well and truly over but, for TV personality Mary Kennedy, the sparkly outfits and the dancing have continued well into the new year, writes Jessica Thompson.
Seven hours of training a day for Dancing With the Stars have been intense but Mary has revelled in every moment she and her professional dance partner, last year’s champion, John Logan, have spent practicing for, or dancing on the live shows.
“It’s so skilled, so intricate, so technical and it’s amazing. There’s so much unpleasantness and horrible stuff happening in the world, I think it’s gorgeous to be involved in something as beautiful and as lovely as dance,” said Mary.
But, where many of us might think of Dancing With the Stars as a sort of escape from the reality of what’s happening around the world, Mary chooses not to see it that way.
“I look at it as very real. My parents used to go to dances nearly once a month. And it was very real for them and there’s a lovely sense of lightness and wellbeing when you dance. I don’t like to think of it as an escape from reality. I don’t see why dancing can’t be part of reality the same way as sitting down watching television, or going out for a meal is. It’s a lovely leisure pursuit rather than an escape.”
Mary has been a fan of Dancing With the Stars for the past three seasons and even found herself in the audience a couple of times. But to take part in the show would have been difficult while she was working full time with Nationwide.
“Nationwide is a juggernaut and very demanding and wonderful and very fulfilling,” she said.
“But for me to be involved with something like this, which is way outside my comfort zone and is something totally new… it had to be a time when I could give it all my time and all my commitment. And it just dovetailed so nicely, this year, with the fact that I was going to be finishing with Nationwide at Christmas.”
Nationwide has been a huge part of Mary’s life for the past 11 years and, while she previously said in an interview that it’s ridiculous to tell people that their career is over once they turn 65, she is quite satisfied to be retired.
“That is the policy in RTE and I would hate for an exception to be made for me over somebody who’s got less of a high profile – somebody who might be working in admin or a different part of the organisation. I think the rules should apply across the board,” she stressed.
And retirement is change, which isn’t a bad thing, she added. Nationwide was a hugely fulfilling step in her career and, while she will miss it, her retirement is giving her more opportunities than she would have enjoyed while working full time.
“I haven’t had a minute. I’m as busy with this as I would be if I was still working on Nationwide. And I really haven’t had time to absorb not doing Nationwide. I will miss it. I don’t miss it at the moment because I wouldn’t be able to do this if I was getting in the car and going down the country,” she said.
“But I will miss Nationwide, because I value and I rate the work that Nationwide does and the profile it gives to meaningful and wholesome initiatives that are happening, particularly in rural Ireland. But that will continue. I just won’t be a part of it. But I hope to be a part of it in other ways. Who knows what’s out there? You never know.”
She may be 65 but there’s no denying Mary is well up for the challenge on Dancing With the Stars. And she’s had so much support with positive comments coming in left, right and centre – many of which refer to how great she looks at 65. In fact, Mary is “flabbergasted” by the support she has received since she first appeared on the show in early January.
“I know I have novelty value at the moment,” she laughed, “but it’s very encouraging. I’m obviously the oldest person in the group. But I’ve never really looked on age as anything other than the year you were born. For me, it’s about being healthy and fit and interested in what you’re doing.
“Age shouldn’t be a limitation. I would love to think that people – and particularly women – who are of my vintage would look at me doing this, and pushing myself outside my comfort zone and realise that there are so many lovely things out there to be enjoyed and to be sampled and tasted.
“At our age, we have the time, so it’s nice to embrace and to push ourselves a bit and get the rewards because there is a definite kind of psychological well being that comes from what I’m doing.”
Mary has big plans for her life once Dancing With the Stars ends and her retirement really begins. She’ll be making a few appearances around the country, including one for the Galway Women’s Network in May. She’ll also be writing a monthly column for Ireland’s Own.
“It fits with me and what’s important for me – community, Ireland. I have a huge respect for everything to do with this country – its culture, its heritage, its language, its stance. Ireland’s Own is a good vehicle for that,” she said.
Aside from that, gardening, entertaining, visiting family and friends are all high on her list of priorities now. And, as she says herself, the important thing is that she’ll be living each moment to the fullest.
“I’m 65. I know I have less time in front of me than I have behind me, so I want to make the most of every opportunity – to breathe and enjoy. It’s important to live every moment because you just don’t know when you’re going to draw your last breath.”
