‘I’ve always wanted to be a dad and I’ve always loved Christmas’

Christmas is a time for reflection, and this festive season comes at the end of a year like no other for Eric Roberts. Since becoming a first-time dad to son Rían on New Year’s Day, life has turned upside down for the social media star.

Balancing fatherhood with moving to Dublin and many career highlights in between, Eric is looking forward to winding down by spending Christmas in his native Glen with parents, Frances and Bobby.

“I adore Christmas and we’re very family-oriented,” says Eric. “We always get together and play games and have dinner together as a family. We’ll have an extra seat now with Rían. I can’t wait to spoil him. I think Granny and Granda are going to spoil him equally as much.

“I’ve always wanted to be a dad and I’ve always loved Christmas, so I’m able to see it through new eyes -  which is really exciting.”

Though it will be a new kind of Christmas for Eric, he hopes to keep family traditions alive.

Eric, Niamh and Rían

“It’s a carbon copy year in, year out,” he says. “We’d go to my grandmother’s house, all the aunts and uncles and nieces and nephews would get together. We’d have a bite to eat and play charades.

“My father and I go to the pub every year. We go to the Olde Glen Bar with my brother-in-law, Paddy and a few of the lads. It’s kind of traditional that we’d go and have a pint, a bite to eat, lay down on the couch, fall asleep and relax. We’re creatures of habit. I’ll be doing exactly that again.”

A festive memory stands out as a favourite of Eric’s, one he shares with his dad who came to Donegal from Seville Place in Dublin’s north inner city, with the family initially having lived in Raheny.

“A lot of the best memories was the year it snowed in Donegal,” he says. “My Dad had never seen a white Christmas before and I was very young and I’d never seen one. It must have been 15 or 16 years ago or probably longer. We got out the turf bags and went up to the fields and spent the day in the snow at Christmas, so it was like the American movies.”

Eric is especially looking forward to catching up with his nephew, Oisín. The pair have a close bond, and Eric says they grew up like brothers. Oisín was born with cerebral palsy and later diagnosed with autism.

“We would have our sleepover club every week and it was difficult trying to explain to him that I mightn’t be there some weeks, so I’m going to try to get back up to him as often as I can.”

Eric adds: “He’s a huge part of my life and I don’t think that will change anytime soon.”

Although Eric and his wife Niamh are building a house in Donegal, they live in Marino, Dublin, to support Eric’s presenting role on Ireland AM, Virgin Media’s flagship morning programme.

“I’ve been lucky with Niamh, she’s been incredible,” he says. “She’s been very supportive. I’m lucky in the sense as well that I’m not working a nine to five job. Although it’s been busy, I feel I’ve been able to be quite present as a father so I'm really lucky to be able to say that. It’s been the most incredible experience adapting and I suppose it's been very, very difficult at times. We’ve been learning as we go, but it’s the best kind of hard work.”

After spending the last few years travelling to Dublin to present small slots on Ireland AM, Eric landed a full-time role this year.

“The offer sort of came out of the blue,” he says. “They must have been impressed because they offered me the full-time gig for the weekend show. It’s been going so well and I’m loving it there. I suppose it’s just like being a dad - I’m learning as I go, finding my feet.”

Eric Roberts with fellow Ireland AM presenters Elaine Crowley and Martin King

The ever-changing nature of presenting a live TV show is enticing for Eric, and it’s something he enjoyed in his previous role as a Special Needs Assistant (SNA).

Eric has also turned his hand to writing, publishing a children’s book called Gary the Stinky Goose. The story is inspired by Eric’s time as an SNA and he hopes it can promote inclusivity and kindness.

“Gary the Stinky Goose has been very well received so I’m delighted,” says Eric. “I wrote it while I was an SNA, probably six or seven years ago. It was difficult to explain to some of the younger children why someone might be a little bit different or socially awkward, or trying to explain what autism is to four and five year olds. The story is about a goose with no friends and by the end of it he has lots of friends. 

“It’s just a conversation starter for parents or educators to have with their kids, we can improve a little bit more on saying everyone deserves friendship. Hopefully it’s a message that will stay with kids as they grow up.”

Being an advocate for disability awareness is a cause close to Eric’s heart, as he learned from Oisín.

“I work closely with the AsIAm charity and I’m obviously promoting inclusivity through Gary the Stinky Goose,” says Eric. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop being a voice for the disabled community.”

Eric and his book, 'Gary the Stinky Goose'

Eric is still very much active on social media, entertaining over 420,000 followers on Instagram and 768,000 on TikTok. Another highlight of Eric’s year was flying to Miami with a brand to meet Argentina’s 2022 World Cup winning captain, Lionel Messi.

“Normally at the end of every year I sit down and I think about what I want to do the following year,” he says. “This year it was the book, and obviously having my son and I wanted to do the Dublin Marathon as well so I did that.”

As 2025 draws to a close, Eric says he has no plans to slow down in the new year. For now though, Eric is embracing family and home this Christmas.

“I’ll never not be at home for Christmas. It doesn’t matter where I am, if I was in Australia I’d still be flying home. I love Christmas at home so I’ll be making sure I’m there.”