Carlow student on First Dates Ireland surprised as dinner partner turns up in drag
Encounter features on RTÉ's First Dates on Thursday
A student from Carlow has told the Sunday Mirror that he got more than he bargained for on his first ever proper date – when his dinner partner turned up in drag.
Tadgh Griffin, 18, faced a steep learning curve with sassy drag queen Zack, also 18, from Offaly, but once the ice was broken the pair seem well matched.
Their encounter features on RTE’s First Dates next Thursday with soft-spoken Tadhg admitting he has never gone out with anyone before.
He told the Sunday Mirror: "I don’t even know why I went on the show. I just thought at least it will be a proper date.
"If I met someone online I could go and they’re like, 60. At least I knew this would be legit."
Zack arrives at the First Dates restaurant and hands maitre’d Mateo his pink boa before confiding that his granny crocheted him a pair of boobs because he couldn’t afford falsies.
Zack tells how he came out at the age of 12 and was bullied at school, as Tadhg notes: "It’s so important for gay people to live our lives, we’re carving a path for others."
Without giving too much away Tadhg said: "I was kind of nervous going in at first. But the whole crew was so supportive.
"It doesn’t bother me what people think because I know I represented myself well. People are always going to have their own opinion anyway.
"I just hope they enjoy watching it. I don’t want anyone to take it too seriously. It’s only a date, a bit of fun."
First Dates Ireland is on RTÉ 2 on Thursday at 9.30pm.