Mary Kennedy loves seeing her grandchildren's bonds develop.
The TV presenter and podcaster is a grandmother to five grandkids now and she loves her role because she has less responsibility.
She and her partner Tom both turned 70 this year and she feels more settled after moving house and downsizing.
Read more: Mary Kennedy celebrated 70th birthday with children and grandkids: 'It was a serious roundy birthday'
Read more: Eileen Dunne says becoming a mother changed everything for her after getting married to TG4 star
Mary told RSVP Magazine: "Paddy, Holly and Julia are all down in Limerick. Paddy is five, Holly is four and Julia is nearly two. Charlotte is 18-months-old and Hazel Rose is four-months-old.
"Holly and Julia were here for my birthday weekend and they were making ‘mushroom soup’ with plastic bowls full of spoons or ornaments from the mantelpiece. Of course, we all had to pretend to taste it and tell them how nice it was.
"As a grandparent, you get to really enjoy that because, as a parent, you have more responsibility.
"I always tell young parents to enjoy those moments – the dishwasher and the washing machine will get filled eventually."
The time goes so fast for parents.
Mary said: "Having gatherings as a family is so important. I’m lucky that my siblings and I get on very well together."
How’s her partner Tom? "He’s good. He turned 70 this year as well."
It’s almost five years since Mary left RTÉ. She was very vocal at the time about not wanting to leave just because she turned 65.
She said: "The rule has changed a little but, you can now stay on until you’re 66 because that’s when you can access your state pension.
"I’m glad that conversation happened. There is a fear of the unknown because you don’t know what’s on the other side."
Mary moved house recently and she has settled in very well. Downsizing is more manageable and she is delighted she made the decision.
She said: "I moved two years ago on my birthday. So I’ve been here two years since the end of September.
"People say that they couldn’t do a move like that, but change is energising. I’m so glad. I’ve young people around me and I’m still friends with my former neighbours down the road.
"I’ve done up the garden and my neighbours have commented that it looks like a garden that has been there for so much longer.
"It’s much more manageable. Leaving the house was a scary moment, but I’m so delighted that I did it."
Mary's podcast with Mary McAleese is going from strength to strength and they both performed at Electric Picnic in August too.
She said: "That was the first time for both of us to be at Electric Picnic and we loved it. The weather was lovely. I would love to go back next year if it’s not lashing rain.
"Mary had to leave after the podcast, but I stayed on with my daughter Lucy. I went to see The Wolfe Tones on the main stage and I absolutely loved it.
"The field was jam-packed. It reminded me of going to see them in Portobello or The Embankment in Tallaght when I was younger. I knew all the words to the songs.
"They’re in their late seventies and early eighties and they’re absolutely rocking it."
Moving West airs on TG4, and catch up on TG4 Player
Tune into Changing Times – The Allenwood Conversations wherever you get your podcasts
Mary launched a new public awareness campaign highlighting the signs, symptoms and risk factors of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) for adults over the age of 65
Read the full interview with Mary Kennedy in the December issue of RSVP Magazine - on shelves now
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