Mary Kingston facts for kids

Mary Kingston is a well-known Irish TV presenter. She was born on May 29, 1970, in Inchydoney, County Cork. Mary is famous for hosting many popular children's shows. These include The Disney Club, Scratch Saturday, and The Works. On The Disney Club, she had a fun companion. It was an Irish Wolfhound named Fionn.

Mary's Early Life

Mary grew up in Inchydoney, a small town by the sea. She was one of eight children in her family. After primary school, she went to Sacred Heart Secondary School. This school was in Clonakilty, a nearby town.

Mary's TV Career

Studying and Starting Out

Mary studied Communication studies in college. She earned a special degree with honours. After college, she joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). This is Ireland's national broadcaster. She started her career there as a children's TV presenter.

Popular TV Shows

Mary first worked on Scratch Saturday. This was a fun TV show shown early on Saturday mornings. She then hosted The Works for four years. This show was about science for kids. She hosted it with Michael Sheridan. Mary became known for her special saying, "Are you laughing?" She said it with her unique regional accent.

Mary was also a regular on The Den. Later, she hosted The Disney Club and Mary K in The Loft. These shows were on Sunday mornings. For five years, she also presented The Children of Ireland Awards. She hosted this event with the person who was then the leader of Ireland.

Other TV Appearances

In 2003, Mary took part in Celebrity Farm on RTÉ. Two years later, in 2005, she appeared on The Restaurant.

Writing Books

Mary has also written a children's book. It is called Fantastic Far-Flung Facts for Fun. The book shares her adventures from places like Africa, Asia, and South America. It is full of interesting facts she learned on her travels. The book also has many photos Mary took herself. She believes in leaving only footprints and taking only memories and photos.

Mary's Personal Life

Travel and Hobbies

Mary loves to travel and has visited many places. She also has a PADI Open Water Scuba Diving licence. This means she can go scuba diving in the ocean.

Charity Work

Mary cares a lot about children and animals. She has worked with different charities. She spent time helping children with AIDS in a hospital in Bucharest, Romania. This hospital was called Dr Victor Babes. Mary is also a junior patron for the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA). This group helps animals.