First Dates review: Margaret decides to try a man on first hetero date
There were plenty of misses on the latest episode
Army man Aran is looking for a country girl with “nice legs, nice bum, nice teeth, nice eyes” — no mention of whether she needs to have a personality. The 23-year old is paired up with 20-year-old Kirsty from Dungarvan who is looking for someone "different." The two don’t exactly spark a match initially — when Aran asks what’s the end goal Kirsty remarks dispassionately “dessert.” Pressed, she says it’s to finish her degree... in accountancy. That goes down like a lead balloon.
Aran has recently started writing tunes, and says he’s actually “really good.” He treats viewers to a sample — “I am sittin in the First Dates chair, I am looking for a bird to give the ware, and maybe take her home to meet me mother, then I get her to the bed and make her fanny flutter.” Ed Sheeran better watch his back.
If that had you squirming, fear not, there's more to come. Before Kirsty sits down for the all-important 'would you like to see each other again romantically' question, Aran tells the camera she’s not his type and he doesn’t want to see her again. But, when the two of them are seated beside one another he encourages Kirsty to go first and lets her say she’d go for another date. When he very unconvincingly also says he’d see her again, the lady behind the camera prompts him to admit he just said no… There’s not much chat after that.
Supermarket manager Margaret shows up looking for a “man in uniform" who is at least 5ft 9. The 29-year-old Dubliner also wants a country boy, and is hoping to land “a best friend who I fancy the pants off.” Enter transport logistics manager and firefighter Shane from Fermanagh. The 33-year-old goes in all guns blazing talking about last first dates, first kisses and future weddings. The only point where he seems to be lost for words is when he finds out he’s Margaret’s first-ever male date.
"I have only dated girls since I was 15,” she says to an open-mouthed Shane, who seems to have lost the ability to speak for a beat. Margaret explains that while she thinks lads are good-looking, she’s never felt that sexual attraction to them. "But the last year and half I've been looking at guys and wondering what it would be like to sleep with them.”
She might find out pretty soon — it was a yes to date two. Shane says his mam will be delighted. “She’s the same birthday as my mother… she’ll think it's written in the stars!”
Psychic medium and Liverpudlian Brenda, 73, puts all her cards on the table when she’s matched with 71-year-old Gerry. The Mayo gentleman is looking for someone with similar characteristics to himself — a good conversationalist with a sense of humour.
On the night, the two open up about their family histories — Brenda tells him about the “secret and lies” in her Irish family which resulted in aunties actually being grandmothers and so forth, while Gerry tells her his father was bi-polar, and sadly his brother took his own life.
Brenda tells him she can speak to the dead. “Do you really?,” he says without any hint of mockery, “Can you make the plates move?” No, scoffs Brenda, that’s levitation.
While Gerry says he loved Brenda's “openness, honesty and slight craziness,” unfortunately, Brenda admits she doesn’t fancy him so she will have to decline his romantic advances. But she loves his sense of humour and would be happy to go for another dinner on his dime. “Story of my life”, Gerry responds.
Luke starts his night off with a nice glass of Mooju chocolate milk — the 27-year-old's drink of choice on a night out. Luke from Foxrock is currently unemployed and hasn’t yet decided whether he’s going to move to Argentina, where he has a job waiting for him. It might all depend on whether his date tonight can convince him to stay put he says...
The gymnast is paired up with Spanish beauty Miriam, 24, who started learning English after watching One Direction on . Sparks fly between the two as they chat about being past one-night stands and looking for a real connection. Whether or not Luke will be getting on that flight to Argentina remains to be seen, but it’s a yes to date number 2.
