Síomha Ní Ruairc is a well-recognised face on Irish TV nowadays, but what do we know about the TV host who has just announced she's expecting?
The presenter, who was born in Galway but raised in Lucan, Dublin, has been working on TG4 for the last few years and also often appears on Ireland AM.
Síomha was raised in a Gaeilgoir family, and spoke Irish at home, and admits that this made some people think her family was a bit different, but was very appreciative of it when she left school. She studied Irish and music at Maynooth, before taking up her full-time gig with Conradh na Gaeilge.
TV work
If you Google her name, you'll see that Síomha has worked on an array of programmes in the Irish language for TG4, including the Irish dancing competition An Ríl Deal and the family talent contest Réalta Agus Gaolta.
The most impressive of her TV work, in our opinion though, was the documentary Síomha: Idir Anam is Corp (Síomha: Body and Soul) in which she examines Irish attitudes to body positivity.
The idea for the documentary came from the reaction Síomha received in 2021 when she decided to grow out her body hair. Many people had opinions about her personal decision, and it got her thinking.
In the programme, Síomha recounts the pressures she felt growing up to look and feel a certain way, and how as she has gotten older, the once big concerns about her appearance and now a thing of the past.
Síomha has also made several appearances on Ireland AM, stepping in to cover holidays, and also presents Grá and Trá with Gráinne and James Kavanagh.
Chatting to EVOKE about Grá and Trá, she told us: 'Gaeilgoirí are very sexy people I have to say, the cast of this show is very attractive. They're aged between, 21 and 30 years old. They're all very intelligent, funny people.'
Personal life
Síomha is loved-up with her well-known MMA fighter partner Cathal Pendred. The couple said I Do on Friday 21 June 2024 at the five-star Lough Eske Castle in Donegal.
She looked radiant on their big day as she posed in a figure-hugging strapless dress with a trendy cowl neckline.
The couple has been together for several years and Síomha actually popped the question herself in 2020, a leap year.
She said at the time: 'It was the Scariest thing I have done in my whole life, but it was so so worth it. I couldn’t be happier.'
In January 2025, the pair shared gorgeous snaps from their honeymoon to Southeast Asia.
Touching down in Thailand, Síomha and Cathal lived it up in the sun as they visited Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands.
The couple took turns posing in their swimwear on the white sand beach to show off their toned physiques- who can blame them?
The Grá ar an Trá presenter captioned her post: 'Mí na Meala / Honeymoonin’. Took ourselves on an extended Christmas break and are still pinching ourselves at the experiences we’ve had. What a gorgeous country & people.'
Baby makes three
In July 2025, Síomha announced that she and Cathal are expecting their first child together.
Sharing snaps of her growing bump, Síomha wrote: 'Leanbh nua ah teacht ar an saoil mí Eanáir 2026', which translates to 'New baby coming into the world in January 2026.
Their happy news comes after a difficult time for the presenter after her sister sadly passed away in 2025.
Time on Ireland AM
Síomha had a bit of a pinch-me moment when she announced she'd be on the couch with Ray Foley and Alan Hughes last August.
Her time on the morning show went very well, with Síomha impressing viewers throughout the week which seemed to fly by.
Since then, Síomha has been a regular face on the presenting line-up.
Podcast
As if she wasn't busy enough, Síomha is one-third of the presenting line-up of the podcast How To Gael which she hosts alongside Louise Cantillon and Doireann Ní Ghlacáin.
Both Louise and Doireann were guests at Síomha's wedding, looking fabulous in their pink and green dresses.
