Nationwide's Zainab Boladale: 'In a lot of spaces within Irish media, I was the only black person there'

"“There's a proper name for it,” she says, making a 'buffing' action. “But, yes, you shine the cows. I can't say it's been my strongest point.”"

"Zainab Boladale is telling me about some of the more unusual Irish phenomena she has seen during her tenure as presenter of RTÉ's Nationwide. Which is how we get to 'cow shining'."

"The RTÉ presenter came under the spotlight for being the first Afro-Irish woman on Irish TV news - but also for calling out racist trolling. Here, she talks about breaking barriers, chasing her dream job and the challenge of coming out to her family"

Zainab Boladale presented RTÉ’s Nationwide and described unusual Irish phenomena she encountered, including “cow shining,” a practice of shining cows. She became the first Afro-Irish woman on Irish TV news, marking a barrier-breaking moment in Irish broadcasting. She also called out racist trolling, addressing hostility directed at her publicly. Her career reflects chasing a dream job while managing public scrutiny. She described the personal challenge of coming out to her family, balancing professional visibility with private life. Her experiences connect cultural curiosity, representation on screen, and resilience in the face of online racism and personal disclosure.

Read at Independent