Love is all around for local Blind Date contestants
By Mary Dennehy
DOES South Dublin County have the most romantic men? We’re about to find out, when three Tallaght lads and one from Lucan look for a ‘lorra lorra’ love in this Sunday’s first Irish episode of Blind Date on TV3.
Show host and comedian Al Porter will be joined by fellow Tallaght native Gary O’Grady (27) who, a personal trainer, will be flexing his muscles in the hope of finding his perfect match when he questions three ladies looking to woo him with their answers.
Lucan resident David Mulligan (34), who is also a personal trainer, will be on the other side of the screen when he battles it out with two other eligible bachelors looking to impress pre-school teacher Dionne O’Brien from Cork and nab a date.
The show also features Tallaght natives Daniel Pike (22) and Ray Kelly (53) who are sent off on random blind dates, Daniel jets off to Lisbon with Hayley Massey (22) from Coolock while Ray belts up for a rollercoaster of a date with Aisling O’Sullivan in Tayto Park.
Ray, who is well known across the area for his work with the Unmarried and Separated Fathers of Ireland, now known as the Unmarried and Separate Families of Ireland, encouraged everyone to tune in for some laughs.
Living in Brookfield, Ray, who also ran in the 2014 Local Elections, said: “The date with Aisling went amazing, we had a lot of fun.
“Tayto Park was fantastic, it really was a good spot for a date.
“It can be difficult to meet people at my age, but going on Blind Date showed me that there’s still lots of fun to be had.”
He added: “Everybody should tune in – there are three Tallaght lads on the show and Al and if the filming is anything to go by, there’s going to be a lot of laughs.”
In the second episode of the dating show, another Tallaght native Ian Byrne, who is a well-known local musician, will grace the stage.
Airing on TV3 this Sunday, October 8, at 9pm, Blind Date is the first Irish version of the show made famous by Cilla Black, who played cupid for more than 17 years.
