First Dates Ireland recap: Tom and Amy are an inspiration for 50-somethings
First Dates Ireland on RTÉ2: Tom and Amy.
On the latest episode of First Dates Ireland on RTÉ2, Tom is a confident man about town and is extremely impressed with his date for the evening, glamorous granny Amy, whose skincare routine, much like the secrets of Fatima, needs to be released with immediate effect.
Hearing both speak of their rich, vibrant lives is a reminder that life only starts at 50, and when Tom appears to recruit Amy for some future jiving we dare to dream that this could be the date that defies the odds.
In the post-show epilogue, we learn that these two lovebirds have gone on two more dates since the show, and our breath quickens at the prospect of a potential First Dates miracle: that of an actual love match.
They say opposites attract, and if that is the case then Alex and Cillian should be weak for each other.
While Cillian likes to dance, Alex prefers the quiet sanctity of the theatre, with Cillian enjoying shots while Alex likes to get up early in the morning to hit the gym, quite literally, running.
So mismatched are their interests that when Alex confesses post-date that he didn’t feel a romantic spark it induces a sigh of relief and a ‘thank god!’ from raver Cillian.
However, all is not lost, as we hear that both Cillian and Alex have remained friends after the show.
This is made all the more heartening when we learn that since recording Alex has since come out to his Latvian family.
Seeing Cillian support Alex reminds us how important this show is in terms of LGBTQ representation, and how meaningful connection can oftentimes be much more important than a second date.
Dairy farmer Craig and Cavan girl Chloe are our culchie King and Queen, with their coordinated outfits and equal appreciation for all things country making them seem like a sure-thing in these unpredictable waters.
When Chloe insists on taking Craig jiving we are already wondering who is going to milk the cows on their 2026 wedding day, only to discover Craig hasn’t followed through on Chloe’s generous invitation because he is too busy with his bevvy of moo-ing mistresses.
Craig, if you’re reading this, forget the cows. A cow isn’t going to keep you warm at night and if she does you need to ask yourself some serious questions.
Unless you want to live out your life as the reincarnation of a Patrick Kavanagh poem send Chloe a WhatsApp that you’ve purchased the jiving shoes and let’s get this show on the road.
When it comes to bad first dates, Colm tops it all - having nearly had a date drown on his watch at the forty foot.
From there it’s a case of the only way is up, and Colm talks openly and positively about his life in sobriety.
Noting that ‘the opposite of addiction is connection,’ it is safe to say we are hoping for just that between our corporate wellness guru and his Wexford date Maria.
Colm’s optimism and infectious enthusiasm for life had this reviewer seriously considering throwing her family away, only for us to receive the bombshell that Maria wasn’t exactly feeling addiction but wasn’t feeling connection either.
Maria - I am speaking to you directly, woman to woman.
I know his divvy of the bill was a bit bizarre (‘you get the drinks and I get the food?’ I’m sorry I didn’t realise this was an applied maths class) but the man is gorgeous.
As my mother once said in relation to dating, you can’t get everything, but it turns out she was wrong, because you can get Colm.
On behalf of women everywhere, give him a second date, and just bring a calculator for the bill to avoid future confusion.
Nine episodes in, it’s the least us viewers deserve.
