Muireann O’Connell admits she had an ‘existential crisis’ over her decision not to have children

Muireann O’Connell has admitted that she went through an “existential crisis” over her decision not to have children.

The Ireland AM star got engaged to partner Philip Manzor last year, but the couple have no plans to become parents.

Speaking to RSVP Magazine, Muireann said her anxiety “will go through the roof when it comes to climate change” if she has children.

“There’s a reason I don’t get much sleep because my mind is always on, so I can’t imagine what it would be like to have children,” she explains.

“I would be a nervous lunatic. Friends say it’s not and it’s totally fine but I worry about the weirdest things.

Muireann admits that she constantly questions her decision not to have children.

“I really think about motherhood, sometimes I even have an existential crisis about it,” the Limerick native said.

“What is the right thing to do? Will I be lonely when I get old? There’s a lot to think about.

“Then there are people who can’t have children, isn’t it unfair? All they want to do is be able to have children.”

The presenter says people have dismissed her choice not to be a mother in the past, but she says that nowadays they “definitely don’t speak up about it anymore”.

“I think the conversation has changed, thankfully.

“Now people can ask, but certainly not complaining as much as before.

Video of the day

“Live and let live. We are in a world where they say it will die in a few decades if we don’t do something.”