Una Healy has opened up about how her public divorce from Ben Foden was a “traumatic” experience.
The Saturdays singer and rugby player tied the knot back in 2012.
However, they split in 2018 after six years of marriage.
Una and Ben share two children – Aoife Belle and Tadhg.
Speaking on the Mamia and Me Podcast, the singer said: “I think anyone that goes through a divorce, it doesn’t matter if you are in the public eye or not, it doesn’t make it any easier or harder it is the very same.”
“And I have a lot of friends who have gone through it too, and it is just so traumatic, so traumatic.”
“All I can say is you just have to brace yourself for it for anyone going through it, you’ll get through it but it takes a while. And then you just have to go ok where am I now, how am I going to do this…”
“You just have to manage it the best you can and accept it..,” Una continued. “It took me awhile to get over the you feel a bit bitter and a bit like oh why did this happen to me… and look at all these family units aren’t they so lucky.”
“Especially in Ireland because the divorce rate in the UK is 50 percent but you come back to Ireland and no one’s divorced and you feel very like ‘Is it just me so?’”
“In the UK so many of my friends were in the same boat, but not so much here.”
“But I’ve really just come to terms with it now and I see how happy my kids are. And they love Ireland and they love Thurles and it was the best decision I ever made to move back home. And I see myself staying here now.”
Una and her two children moved back to her native Thurles in Co. Tipperary during the COVID-19 pandemic after 13 years of living in the UK.
Ben now lives in New York with his wife Jackie, and continues to co-parent Aoife and Tadhg with Una.
“I always would recommend to anyone to allow the other parent to see them as much as they want,” the singer explained.
“Because he doesn’t live down the road, it can’t be every other weekend.”
“So basically they spend half their summer with him, and this year they were in New York for a month. And then they might see him again at Halloween and Christmas and holiday times, so that’s how we do it.”
“But I always say to him whenever you want to come see them they are here or if you want to take them away for their holidays do that too…”
“As long as my children are loved and protected and happy that’s all that matters.”
“They have an amazing time, they were being brought out, it is like a dream.”
“There are so many ups to it, I know there are a lot of downs, but there is a lot of ups and you know not many kids can say they had a whole month over in New York and an amazing time going to all these fun places,” Una continued.
“And spending very much quality time with their family over there, they have a little sister over there too and a stepmother.”
“That is just our dynamic. Every family unit is different. That’s just ours.”
