Mrs Brown’s Boys’ Eilish O’Carroll on 20 years with partner Marian, living apart and how they met

The actress, famed for playing Winnie McGoogan on Mrs Brown’s Boys, recently celebrated her 20th anniversary with partner Marian and reveals how she would love to spend Christmas

Eilish O’Carroll says after 20 years together her partner Marian O’Sullivan is finally considering relocating to Dublin.

The Mrs Brown’s Boys actress and her long-term partner celebrated their 20th anniversary earlier this year.

The couple used to live together in West Cork but Eilish currently lives in the northside of Dublin, while Marion lives and owns a house in her native Cork city.

Eilish O'Carroll as Winnie McGoogan on Mrs Brown's Boys (Image: BBC Studios / Alan Peebles)
Eilish O’Carroll as Winnie McGoogan on Mrs Brown’s Boys (Image: BBC Studios / Alan Peebles)

Marian is a proud Cork woman and loves living in the rebel county, but after marking two decades together, may make the move to the capital.

“I have to say she spends more time in Dublin than she spends in Cork city,” Eilish told the RTE Guide.

“‘No,’ she said, ‘I’d never live in Dublin, I couldn’t ever live in Dublin’. That’s slowly changing!”

Eilish and Marian first met in 2003 at a support group they were both attending in Cork.

The Winnie McGoogan star was struggling to come to terms with her sexuality so visited a local support group for people aged over 40.

Aged 51 at the time, Eilish struck up a friendship Marian and four months later this developed into romance.

Eilish O'Carroll and Marian O'Sullivan photographed at the Alex Hotel, Dublin for RSVP Magazine in March 2019. Photo: Ramona Farrelly
Eilish O’Carroll and Marian O’Sullivan photographed at the Alex Hotel, Dublin for RSVP Magazine in March 2019. Photo: Ramona Farrelly

Eilish previously told RSVP Magazine: “We became really good mates, we went walking on Sundays and we turned up to various different events together.

“About four months later, we decided to give things a go.”

Eilish and Marian are not married but have discussed the possibility of it.

“We have talked about marriage. We talk round it, talk about it and I campaigned hard and heavy for it because I just believe in choice and people having the rights in life as everybody else,” Eilish previously told The Sunday World.

“It wasn’t so I could march down the aisle. But the option is there if we ever want to do it.

“The main reason we are talking about getting married is because of property, because I’m f***ed, excuse my French, if what I worked really hard for ends up in the taxman’s pocket – and it will do because we are not married.”

Eilish will spend Christmas with family this year but would love to go away for the festive season with her beloved pet dog Jacko.

“Every year I say, we’re going to go away for Christmas,” she told the RTE Guide.

“I’m looking for a hotel that will actually be dog-friendly.

“I don’t mean we can keep him in the bedroom while we go down and have our Christmas dinner. No, he sits down underneath the table with me.”

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