Mary O'Rourke turns 80 today

The well-known political figure from Athlone was interviewed about the milestone Sean O'Rourke on RTE Radio One on Monday.

'I'm not 80 - well, I am, according to all my certificates - but in my mind I'm not 80. I know people say those things, but it is the truth. I think like a 50-year-old,' she said during the interview.

'I have pains in my legs and I am sort-of slowing down, but not really in a way that would put me away from anything.'

She also shared her thoughts on the Fine Gael leadership election.

“I think really I have to stand back and say that I think Simon Coveney would make, for the long-term, a better Taoiseach,' she said.

Ms O'Rourke is a former deputy leader of Fianna Fail who had terms as a senior Government Minister in the Departments of Education, Health, and Public Enterprise.

A regular commentator on political matters in the media, she served as a TD or Senator for 30 years, between 1981 and 2011.

In 2012, she published her memoir 'Just Mary' which became a bestseller.

This was followed up with a second book 'Letters of My Life' which reflects on Mary's life and universal themes through letters. Published in hardback last year, it has since been released as a paperback.