Mary Winifred Gloria Hunniford, OBE was born 10 April 1940 in Portadown. Her father was a musician and encouraged her to sing on stage when she was a child. She began her career in radio and TV here in NI. She is known for presenting programmes on the BBC and ITV, such as Rip Off Britain, and her regular appearances as a panellist on Loose Women. She has been a regular reporter on This Morning and The One Show. She also had a singing career between the 1960s and 1980s. She also took part in the Masked Singer and Strictly Come Dancing. She was married to Don Keating from 1970 to 1992. They had a daughter, Caron Keating, and two sons, Paul and Michael. In September 1998, she married hairdresser Stephen Way in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. her daughter died of breast cancer in Kent. Later Gloria set up a cancer charity in her daughter's name; the Caron Keating Foundation. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to cancer charities.placeholder image
Mary Winifred Gloria Hunniford, OBE was born 10 April 1940 in Portadown. Her father was a musician and encouraged her to sing on stage when she was a child. She began her career in radio and TV here in NI. She is known for presenting programmes on the BBC and ITV, such as Rip Off Britain, and her regular appearances as a panellist on Loose Women. She has been a regular reporter on This Morning and The One Show. She also had a singing career between the 1960s and 1980s. She also took part in the Masked Singer and Strictly Come Dancing. She was married to Don Keating from 1970 to 1992. They had a daughter, Caron Keating, and two sons, Paul and Michael. In September 1998, she married hairdresser Stephen Way in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. her daughter died of breast cancer in Kent. Later Gloria set up a cancer charity in her daughter's name; the Caron Keating Foundation. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to cancer charities.

19 famous people from Portadown

By Carmel Robinson
Published 8th Mar 2023, 17:00 BST
Updated 8th Mar 2023, 17:12 BST

19 famous people from Portadown

There are many famous people from Portadown, artists, TV presenters, sporting heroes and war heroes.

One of the most famous is Gloria Hunniford who has been a TV and radio star for decades and appears on many top shows such as Loose Women, This Morning and The One Show.

Also actors Richard Dormer and Jude Hill, war heroes Anne Acheson and Dr Isobel Addey Tate, sporting heroes Rory Best, Mary Peters and Ronnie McFall as well as many talented individuals.

Artist and photographer Victor Sloan has been living in Portadown since his marriage to Joy in 1972. Originally from Dungannon, he studied at Belfast and Leeds Colleges of Art, the latter in England. On his return home from England he started lecturing in Lurgan Tech inspiring generations of young artists. Through decades he has captured the life and buildings around the Portadown, Craigavon and Lurgan areas and held numerous exhibitions including recently at the Ulster Museum in Belfast. In 1979 the Vietnamese Boat People came to live in Craigavon. Victor befriended Ka Fue Lay, a teenager from Vietnam. Victor did a series on the Vietnamese Boat People in Craigavon which superbly depicts the reality of its time. Sloan's works are a response to political, social and religious concerns. He is perhaps best known for his works investigating the Orange Order in series such as: Drumming; The Walk, the Platform and the Field and The Birches.

9. Victor Sloan, artist, photographer and lecturer, has been inspiring generations of young artists

Artist and photographer Victor Sloan has been living in Portadown since his marriage to Joy in 1972. Originally from Dungannon, he studied at Belfast and Leeds Colleges of Art, the latter in England. On his return home from England he started lecturing in Lurgan Tech inspiring generations of young artists. Through decades he has captured the life and buildings around the Portadown, Craigavon and Lurgan areas and held numerous exhibitions including recently at the Ulster Museum in Belfast. In 1979 the Vietnamese Boat People came to live in Craigavon. Victor befriended Ka Fue Lay, a teenager from Vietnam. Victor did a series on the Vietnamese Boat People in Craigavon which superbly depicts the reality of its time. Sloan's works are a response to political, social and religious concerns. He is perhaps best known for his works investigating the Orange Order in series such as: Drumming; The Walk, the Platform and the Field and The Birches. Photo: Unknown

Ronald Joseph McFall MBE (born 3 October 1947) is a former football player and former manager of NIFL Premiership sides Glentoran and Portadown. He was most notably manager of hometown club Portadown for 29 years from December 1986 until his resignation in March 2016. At the time of his resignation he was the longest-serving manager in European club football, having held the record ever since Alex Ferguson stood down as Manchester United manager in 2013. He had two spells managing Glentoran, between 1979 and 1984 and 2018 and 2019. As a player, McFall represented Portadown (twice), Dundee United, Ards, Glentoran (becoming Irish League champion with the latter). Managing in Irish League football for over 30 years, McFall is amongst the most successful managers in the history of the Irish League having claimed five league titles, four Irish Cups and 20 other trophies during his time with Glentoran and Portadown. McFall was the first person to be rewarded the freedom of the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon area for his immense contribution to sport.

10. Ronnie McFall was manager of Portadown FC for 29 years

Ronald Joseph McFall MBE (born 3 October 1947) is a former football player and former manager of NIFL Premiership sides Glentoran and Portadown. He was most notably manager of hometown club Portadown for 29 years from December 1986 until his resignation in March 2016. At the time of his resignation he was the longest-serving manager in European club football, having held the record ever since Alex Ferguson stood down as Manchester United manager in 2013. He had two spells managing Glentoran, between 1979 and 1984 and 2018 and 2019. As a player, McFall represented Portadown (twice), Dundee United, Ards, Glentoran (becoming Irish League champion with the latter). Managing in Irish League football for over 30 years, McFall is amongst the most successful managers in the history of the Irish League having claimed five league titles, four Irish Cups and 20 other trophies during his time with Glentoran and Portadown. McFall was the first person to be rewarded the freedom of the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon area for his immense contribution to sport. Photo: Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press

Racing driver Colin Henry Turkington was born in Portadown in March 1982. He competes in the British Touring Car Championship for Team BMW. He is a 4 time BTCC champion, winning the title in 2009, 2014, 2018 and 2019, having made his debut in the series in 2002. Turkington moved to the BTCC in 2002. His first BTCC drive was in a year-old MG ZS, sponsored by the pop group Atomic Kitten. During an illustrious career he also competed in three rounds of the 2010 World Touring Car Championship series (WTCC) driving a BMW for WSR at Algarve, Brands Hatch and Brno.

11. British Touring Car Champion Colin Turkington has had an illustrious career as a racing driving

Racing driver Colin Henry Turkington was born in Portadown in March 1982. He competes in the British Touring Car Championship for Team BMW. He is a 4 time BTCC champion, winning the title in 2009, 2014, 2018 and 2019, having made his debut in the series in 2002. Turkington moved to the BTCC in 2002. His first BTCC drive was in a year-old MG ZS, sponsored by the pop group Atomic Kitten. During an illustrious career he also competed in three rounds of the 2010 World Touring Car Championship series (WTCC) driving a BMW for WSR at Algarve, Brands Hatch and Brno. Photo: Contributed

Sam McGredy, born in Portadown in 1932, was the fourth generation of rose breeders and regarded as one of the world's greatest. For him, a rose had to combine appearance and fragrance. He won many of the great international rose prizes in Ireland, Britain, Europe, Asia and Australasia. He managed to get the thumbs up from Picasso to name a rose after him and the Queen Mother also gave her blessing for a rose to be named after her Elizabeth of Glamis. Sam, whose father died when was 2 years old, was educated at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, Greenmount Agricultural College in Co Tyrone and Reading University. In 1972 he emigrated to New Zealand as he found it highly suitable for rose breeding.

12. Sam McGredy

Sam McGredy, born in Portadown in 1932, was the fourth generation of rose breeders and regarded as one of the world's greatest. For him, a rose had to combine appearance and fragrance. He won many of the great international rose prizes in Ireland, Britain, Europe, Asia and Australasia. He managed to get the thumbs up from Picasso to name a rose after him and the Queen Mother also gave her blessing for a rose to be named after her Elizabeth of Glamis. Sam, whose father died when was 2 years old, was educated at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, Greenmount Agricultural College in Co Tyrone and Reading University. In 1972 he emigrated to New Zealand as he found it highly suitable for rose breeding. Photo: freelance

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