Distance ruins Gabriela and Graham's Transylvanian love story on First Dates Ireland
First Dates Ireland: Gabriela and Graham
Transylvanian beauty Gabriela went to the restaurant hoping to find love, which she described as caring for someone, getting butterflies in your stomach and “a lot of great sex very often”. No beating around the bush there, anyway. She was paired with shy guy Graham, an oil-rig electrician from Dublin.
Graham told her his job could have him posted anywhere around the world but he wanted to settle down and have a family. She too said she was looking for a meaningful relationship.
She was surprised when he told her he was nervous. “You have no reason to be nervous. I’m just a human. There’s no full moon outside so I’m not going to drink your blood.”
Graham said he’d love to meet her again but had “a feeling she won’t agree.” He was wrong, much to his delight, however his work brought him to the Gulf of Mexico, ruining any plans for a reunion.
Student Susanne was looking for someone with “with Paul Mescal vibes”, chain and all. Aren’t we all?
She met musician Luke and her delight was evident when he said he went to the Gaiety School of acting (tick). He was also wearing a chain (tick). However, once he started talking about the knots he gets in his jaw-length hair to Susanne, you could see her Mescal-tinted glasses face away.
Susanne opened up about a rare condition she has that made tumours grow in her body. She said experiencing that made her most likely to seize the moment but it also caused a lot of uncertainty about her future plans. “It does make you wonder about starting a family because it’s genetic so it can spread to your children.” Susanne said after the dinner ended that “the conversation definitely flowed. He talked a lot…” She turned down a second date as the four-year age gap was noticeable to her during their time together.
Martina from Limerick, who appeared last season with her twin sister, returned to the First Dates Ireland restaurant. Last year, she hit it off with her date, David, who wished her well with round two: “He said maybe this fucker will text you back.”
This time, she was paired with former soldier Mark from Kildare, who was “a bag of nerves” at the start. They eased into each other’s company over dinner and Mark spoke about his experiences of retirement, anxiety and his marriage ending and how he still wants to start a family.
They enjoyed each other’s company but agreed to part ways. “We’re on different pages,” Martine said, referencing their differing views on having children. There’s always next season, Martine.
Denis, a self-described ‘nice guy’, said past dates have told him he’s too nice but he refused to change his ways. “Shy and awkward” Amy, meanwhile, was looking for someone with “a kind smile and gentle eyes.” It sounds like a very nice match.
“You’re really easy to talk to,” Denis told her. “The nerves just left for me as soon as I sat down.”
Amy told him about her grandad, who died in a nursing home during lockdown. They got to say goodbye but we’re in full PPE. “He was such a good man and he deserved a much better ending.”
During a bathroom break, Amy confessed to a friend on the phone that she felt intimidated by Denis' good looks. “I’m in the bathroom right now and I feel like I look like shit.” Denis, however, thought she was cute and thankfully they said yes to another date.
