Surprise visitor Roma Downey ‘delighted’ to pick up Derry Journal People of the Year Award on flying visit

Ms. Downey is back in her home town for a flying visit from California and made good on her promise to pick up her Ambassador award in person.

She received the inaugural award at the Derry Journal People of the Year Awards back in June in recognition and celebration of her achievements as a member of the great Derry diaspora.

"I'm so grateful for this People of the Year Award. I said I would come by and pick it up in person. Here I am. Thank you Derry Journal,” she said.

The Beechwood Avenue-native, who describes herself as a proud Derry Girl, shot to fame in the United States after playing Jacqueline Kennedy in the US TV mini-series ‘A Woman Named Jackie’ in 1991.

She became a household name State-side as ‘Monica’ in the hit-TV show ‘Touched by an Angel’.

Her latest small screen turn in The Baxters premiered on Amazon Prime in over 240 countries earlier this year. The series also stars Roma’s daughter Reilly who is also no stranger to her mother’s hometown.

"I'm back in Derry just for a few days but I come back every year. I love to get home.

"It's lovely to be here. And listen, you can't see here but it's a really sunny day. I’ve brought the sunshine from California,” she said.

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Roma is a director of Lightworkers media, which she co-founded with her husband Mark Burnett. The company has produced hit series such as The Bible, Son of God, Ben-Hur and Messiah.

After receiving the Ambassador award earlier in the summer she tweeted, ‘Wow, thank you so much Derry Journal. I truly appreciate you thinking of me … you are right I’ve travelled the world and worked mainly abroad but am always a Derry Girl at heart.”

As well as being an actor and producer she is also an author and last year published her latest book ‘BE AN ANGEL: Devotions to Inspire and Encourage Love and Light Along the Way’.

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