Anna Daly pays tribute to the people who made her time on Ireland AM so special

The mother of three is leaving the Virgin Media breakfast show to take on a role in PR and media training in The Communications Clinic.

As she said her goodbyes, she praised some of her former co-presenters including Mark Cagney, Sinead Desmond, Aidan Cooney and Alan Hughes, adding that while she first began as a stand in for Sinead it was the people on the show that she loved so much.

"Well you hardly thought I’d ride off into the sunset and not tip my hat to my @irelandamvmtv family, now did you?

"Lots of change/new projects but you might indulge me for a moment as I share with you a few thoughts on the AM years."

She added: "From my early days as a rookie reporter, it was always about the people. People make a job, don’t they?

"Mark, Sinead, Aidan & Alan were my first tv family and I got to report from around the globe & meet everyone from heads of state to Kardashians.

"I started standing in for Sinead but she was busy playing a blinder so I needed to pitch a new idea in order to become an anchor - tip for those of you who want a job that’s already taken by someone who’s great at it - create something!"

Anna moved from Ireland AM to its then sister weekend show alongside Simon Delaney, Aidan Power and Laura Woods. Branded as Saturday AM and Sunday AM, it was later Weekend AM, before merging into the streamline Ireland AM brand.

Taking to Instagram, she said: "Cut to a few years later when we would launch ‘Weekend AM’ and I got to be an anchor (‘Corningstone’ - as my brother-in-law calls me!).

"A daunting & hugely exciting new opportunity. @simondelaneyesq & I would go on to laugh & cry together (sometimes both!) and when one struggled to keep it together during a particularly tough interview, we would instinctively pick up for each other.

"What I’ll tell you is when we laughed or cried, it was always genuine.

"When @laurawoodstv & @aidanpowerful joined us for chats we’d go off piste (much to our production teams dismay at times) and you never knew where it might end up.

"We were only short of a G&T! It comes back to the people.

"I feel so lucky to have worked with some genuinely brilliant, talented presenters, producers, cameras who happen to be great people/ friends."

She also thanked the Ireland AM viewers for tuning in over the years.

She said: "Thank you to our loyal viewers for helping us smash every ratings target & for engaging with us. We always felt you there."

Elaine Crowley is now presenting the show alongside Simon Delaney.