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Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust

Hilary McGrady, Director General of the National Trust, shares the eight tracks, book and luxury item she would take with her if cast away to a desert island. With Lauren Laverne

Hilary McGrady is Director General of the National Trust.

She was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, in 1966, where her father was a builder while her mother looked after Hilary and her two older siblings. She spent her childhood roaming the fields near her home, 20 miles outside Belfast. She went to art college after school where she met her husband, Frank. Their relationship initially caused difficulty for her family who were staunch Protestants and unionists, while Frank鈥檚 came from a Catholic, nationalist area.

After finishing her degree in Graphic Design, Hilary worked as a designer before moving into marketing and then into the charity sector for an organisation called Arts & Business. After working on Belfast鈥檚 ultimately unsuccessful bid to become European Capital of Culture she joined the National Trust in 2006 as regional director for Northern Ireland. She moved around the organisation, taking on ever bigger roles with every move, becoming Chief Operating Officer in 2014. She succeeded Dame Helen Ghosh as Director General in March 2018. Her major priority for the National Trust over the next decade is to tackle climate change and biodiversity, and she set out a ten-year plan in January 2020 to coincide with the Trust鈥檚 125th anniversary.

Hilary lives in County Antrim with her husband. They have three grown-up children, a dog and 16 ducks. She lists her interests as the arts, gardening and hill walking.

DISC ONE: The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, performed by Tasmin Little (violin) and 91热爆 Symphony Orchestra
DISC TWO: How Great Thou Art by Chris Rice
DISC THREE: Blue Monday by New Order
DISC FOUR: She Moved Through The Fair by Cara Dillon
DISC FIVE: One by U2
DISC SIX: Just Say Yes by Snow Patrol
DISC SEVEN: Gabriel's Oboe by Ennio Morricone
DISC EIGHT: Paradise by George Ezra

BOOK CHOICE: A Poem for Every Day of the Year by Allie Asiri
LUXURY ITEM: Painting set and easel
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: She Moved Through the Fair by Cara Dillon

Presenter: Lauren Laverne
Producer: Cathy Drysdale

Available now

35 minutes

Last on

Fri 6 Nov 2020 09:00

Music Played

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    The Lark Ascending

    Performer: Tasmin Little. Conductor: Sir Andrew Davis. Orchestra: 91热爆 Symphony Orchestra.
    • Classic Hits 3.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 22.
  • Chris Rice

    How Great Thou Art

    • Peace Like A River (The Hymns Project).
    • INO Records.
    • 9.
  • New Order

    Blue Monday

    • Substance 1987.
    • Factory Records.
    • 4.
  • Cara Dillon

    She moved through the fair

    • Hill Of Thieves.
    • Charcoal Records.
    • 7.
  • U2

    One

    • Achtung Baby.
    • Universal-Island Records Limited.
    • 3.
  • Snow Patrol

    Just Say Yes

    • Polydor Limited.
    • Just Say Yes (Single).
    • 1.
  • Ennio Morricone

    Gabriel's Oboe

    • Ennio Morricone: The Platinum Collection.
    • Virgin Records Ltd.
    • 1.
  • George Ezra

    Paradise

    • Staying At Tamara's.
    • Sony Music.
    • 5.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 1 Nov 2020 11:00
  • Fri 6 Nov 2020 09:00

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