First Dates Ireland recap: No second date with Mark in palm reader Emily’s future
Emily and Mark
The future is in hand for dentist Emily - literally. The palm reader is searching for a soulmate: does graphic designer Mark show up on her love line? She starts her date by reading barman Ethan’s palm (he shouldn’t start a business and he’s afraid to fall in love, she tells him) before showing off a skill she acquired through her job: she clocked Mark’s Turkish smile from across the two-metre table.
Mark speaks about his time in Australia and says he’s tempted to move abroad again. As he pays for their dinner, Emily reads Mateo’s palms and sees that he loves romance but can be a bit much with it. “That’s why she loves me,” he retorts.
Can Emily see Mark in her future? She says yes but Mark thinks they should part ways as she only recently moved to Ireland but he wants to move to Australia.
Rachel is looking for love, but as a health and safety officer will she allow herself to fall for someone? “Always nervous” Joseph is paired with her but he says people find it hard to get on with him. Their biggest struggle was picking a bottle of wine to share for dinner: each wanted one that gives the other a hangover.
Once initial nerves subside, Rachel is impressed by Joseph’s manners and compliments him on letting her speak and asking questions about his life.
Joseph shares his story of being born in a mother and baby home and adopted by a white family. He faced a lot of racism growing up in Dublin and says lots of his former schoolmates have since apologised to him about how they treated him.
Rachel says she misses companionship and wants a man who is happy with himself. She says she was impressed more by Joseph as the date went on and she happily agrees to a second date with him, much to Joseph’s surprise.
Remember Peter from Clare who was on First Dates Ireland two years ago? He returns to the restaurant to try again to find love. He is paired with health care worker Mags who is looking for George Clooney - or as a compromise, the love of her life.
She’s wowed when he gives her a gift of healing stones and asks if he’s psychic as she loves anything spiritual. “I’m a glutton for punishment,” Peter says as he tells Mags about his two marriages. She talks about how she and her ex-husband drifted apart in their marriage.
Mags says she is drawn to people’s energy and has found the static nature of lockdown difficult. The death of her sister encouraged her to live life to the fullest, she says.
Peter wants someone to share the rest of his life with and Mags definitely feels a spark between them. Her face lights up when he says he enjoyed his evening and wants to meet her again.
The show reveals Peter and Mags are going strong and it looks unlikely that Peter will make a third appearance in the restaurant. Aww!
These two should win an award for being the happiest couple of the week. Rugby player Conor put nervous Dylan at ease when they first meet at the bar and they fall into sync over dinner: plain burgers and chips for both picky eaters. They spend most of the date giggling and laughing, clearly enjoying each other’s company. Every time waitress Alice passed the table she noted their happy smiles and contagious laughs.
Dylan says he has never been to a gay bar or to gay pride and describes how he’s not sure if he wants a relationship or something casual. Dylan, however, is firm in his search: he wants something long-term.
They round off their date with three scoops each of vanilla ice cream before delivering their verdict. Of course, they both want to go on another date.
