Toy Show's Nanny Pat: 'There weren't enough hugs to go around this year'

Skype keeps 'Late Late Toy Show' stars Nanny Pat and Tom Cullen connected but there will be nothing like having dinner together face to face this Christmas

Thu, 23 Dec, 2021 - 16:15

Martha Brennan

It will be a quiet Christmas spent among family for most people this weekend, but for one famous Late Late Toy Show duo, this year will be more special than ever before.

Tom Cullen (10) and his maternal grandmother Pat Corcoran (88), fondly known as Nanny Pat, stole the hearts of the nation in 2019, when Pat surprised Tom during his appearance on the Late Late Toy Show. Even Ryan Tubridy got a pre-pandemic hug from the grandmother of four and dubbed Tom his “new favourite person”. The presenter was also given a specially hand-knit jumper courtesy of the Co Leitrim natives.

Countless invites and requests for local events came tumbling into the Carrick-On-Shannon homes of the pair afterwards, including the opportunity to turn on the Christmas lights in their town in 2019 and a makeover for Pat on RTÉ’s Today Show.

“There were a lot of little knock-on things that came from it. They turned on the lights and presented prizes for competitions and went to the secondary school in Carrick-On-Shannon, a few different things locally. It was just lovely,” says Tom’s mother Ursula.

However, just as they started to enjoy their newfound fame, the pandemic hit.

‘It was very lonely’

Tom Cullen has been saving up to get his grandmother Pat Corcoran a tablet for Christmas.

Last year’s series of lockdowns were especially tough for Pat, who lives on her own about 2km away from Tom’s family.

“It was very lonely. It was very isolating at the start and scary too,” she says.

As the weeks went by, she would relish the visits Tom and his sister Catherine (16) would make to her window.

“During the very first lockdown, we were only able to see her through the window which we were lucky to be able to do. It was hard for Nanny though because she would always invite us in for a cup of tea and she couldn’t,” Tom says.

“When we could go back in again at the start we would sit in the sitting room while Nanny stayed in the kitchen with masks on which was hard because we couldn’t give her a hug when we were leaving like normal.”

However, there were plenty of hugs once they were allowed to embrace again after the family got their Covid-19 vaccinations.

“I was delighted to see them,” Pat says. “There weren’t enough hugs to go around.”

New technology

Tom Cullen set up Skype for his grandmother Pat Corcoran over lockdown. He was shocked to see her tune in for an interview for The Late Late Show via the platform earlier this year.

Pat has two other grandchildren, Jim (19) and Frank (15), who live with her son in England. The family stays connected via Skype, which Tom set up for his grandmother.

“We’re all very close. I see them when they come over and I talk to them on Skype or ring them on the phone,” Tom says.

“I kept in touch with Nanny on Skype during lockdown as well and An Post sent out those little postcards during lockdown that we were able to send to each other too. Skype is great but there’s nothing like seeing her face to face.”

The pair were delighted when they were able to go back to their usual routine earlier this year.

“I go to Nanny after school on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We sit down and have our dinner and then we do a bit of knitting and then I do my homework,” Tom says.

“Nanny also pretends it’s her homework when she helps Tom with his sums. She says it’s good for her head too,” adds Ursula.

Knitting is one of Tom and Pat’s favourite activities to do together, as well as playing games and doing jigsaws. Viewers of the Late Late Toy Show may even recall the jigsaw Tom had made from a photograph of his beloved grandmother.

“I was trying to knit a scarf for my friend recently but it didn’t work out because it wasn’t long enough,” Tom says.

His grandmother, who is very modest about her own knitting, has been working on Aran-style cardigans and jumpers for her family for Christmas.

“I’m not too bad at all,” Pat says with a laugh. “It’s just lovely to have a visitor when Tom comes over.”

Festive planning

Nanny Pat Corcoran pictured at home in Carrick On Shannon, Co. Leitrim. The proud grandmother stayed in touch with her family via Skype over lockdown.

When we chat, the fourth class pupil is counting down his last few days in class before Christmas break. He’s looking forward to spending the weekend with his grandmother, who will be going to the Cullen household for Christmas dinner and Stephen's Day.

“I’m saving up to buy her a tablet but we might compromise on that. She might give me a few bob toward it,” Tom says, laughing.

His own wish list is even more pragmatic. “I’m hoping to get a cow from Santa.”

On Stephen’s Day, the family will get ready to carry out their favourite longstanding tradition, commonly referred to as ‘the wren’.

“We normally go out and sing and dance and we’ll get a bit of money,” says Tom, who was introduced to the tradition by his mother.

“It’s great fun, Tom will dress up as an old woman and his sister will dress up as an old man and no one will recognise them. It’s great craic,” she says.

The entire family is close, as Pat was with her three siblings growing up in Co Leitrim.

“We’ll spend New Year’s together as well. We’re very lucky. Lockdown was so tough so we’re excited for this Christmas,” Tom says.

To help others keep in touch with their loved ones over the holidays, Pat has teamed up with the Vodafone Ireland Foundation, Active Retirement Ireland, and ALONE to promote a new online learning platform for those aged over 65 called Hi Digital.

“It is easy to become isolated during these difficult times and being able to connect with my family and friends online has made a huge difference,” she says.

“Getting better with technology can seem like a big hill to climb but learning skills bit by bit has helped me and, of course, my family is always here to support me whenever they can.”