How a radio appeal for a missed connection led to a romantic proposal

Chris and Catriona are getting married, but for one troubling fortnight in 2018 Chris feared he'd never see her again

Chris and Catriona reconnected through a radio appeal.

Three years after issuing a public appeal to find her, an Athlone man has popped the question to the one that almost got away - and she said yes.

In 2018, Chris Coleman contacted Today FM’s Dermot Whelan and Dave Moore to help him find a woman he had met in a nightclub during a night out. They had a dance and tried to exchange numbers, but the next day Chris realised he had no way to contact her.

He instead took to the airwaves in a bid to find Catriona and two weeks later they were reunited on national radio. They agreed to meet for a date and we heard no more.

Until now.

The pair returned to Today FM to tell Dermot and Dave about how their life together has been going: from moving in together during the pandemic to the latest development in their relationship.

Chris and Catriona

“Three-and-a-half years later we are engaged,” Chris gleefully tells the hosts. He proposed to Catriona while they were out for a romantic walk - one she didn’t even want to go on.

“I came home from work on Wednesday, for lunch, and he had the idea of going for a walk. I really didn't want to go for a walk but I said yes,” Catriona says, adding he distracted her by getting her to look for fish from a bridge.

“He said we’ll go for a walk over a little white footbridge and he asked ‘Are there any fish in the river?’ I turned around and there he was with the box out and a big cheesy grin on his face.” 

After the shock had faded, Catriona said yes to Chris’ proposal and the pair plan to marry next year. A delighted Dermot suggested Dave should be their wedding DJ to mark their influence on the couple’s happily ever after.