DEBORAH SOMORIN: Friday 21st of February 2020, RTÉ One, 8.30pm
Deborah Somorin had a difficult childhood, becoming homeless at the age of 13 and spending several of her teenage years in care. She became a single mother at just 15, but, was supported by her carers to continue her education through school and college. Now a successful accountant at PwC, she is determined to use her position and voice to advocate for educational and housing opportunities for other single parents. She and Mary follow in the footsteps of another famously strong and single-minded Irishwoman, St. Brigid, across a beautiful stretch of rural Co. Louth, near Faughart.
Brigid’s Way is named after St. Brigid, who grew up near Faughart as the daughter of a pagan chieftain and went on to establish a Christian monastery in Kildare. She became Ireland’s female patron saint ,but is also revered by some as a Celtic goddess.
Debbie Somorin was born in England, but came to Ireland with her mother and siblings when her parents broke up. ‘The first eight years I remember us being a normal family. Then as my parents’ marriage was breaking up, it all became very turbulent. And my mum had to kind of leave’.
But as Debbie became a teenager, the relationship with her mother became fraught.
Debbie was eventually taken into care and became pregnant when she was only 14. ‘I was absolutely terrified to tell (my parents) because I thought both of them would disown me’, she tells Mary. ‘My mum was very angry, because she had expectations of what I would do with my life. Beautifully when I had him, they were both there and my mum just fell in love with Liam. A new side of our relationship opened up, where we started to get on better. But she was just in a very dark place which only got worse. She took her own life when I was 17.’
Despite her troubled childhood, Debbie was supported by her carers to continue her education and qualified as an accountant. She now has her dream job with PwC, and is setting up a charity helping other single parents.
Preview Vimeo copy available on request.