WATCH: Carlow's Tadgh Griffin captures the heart of the nation on RTÉ's First Dates Ireland

A student from Carlow captured the heart of the nation on Thursday night after he appeared on RTÉ's First Dates Ireland and talked about how he sometimes feels lonely as a gay man. 

Tadgh Griffin, 18, first appeared on the hit show playing a violin and was paired up with Zack, also 18, from Offaly.

The Carlow native told his date that he had never had a relationship and when asked on the show if he gets lonely, he said: "Ya, I do. It usually just happens after a night out.

"You just get in such a pit of loneliness and you're like, oh my God like, geuinely am I worth anything like.

"It's not possible to say all the time, 'I'm proud to be gay', it's not possible, cause there are moments when you're like, why.

"It's taking me a while to be able to talk to lads, even straight lads."

‘It’s not possible to say all the time, “I’m proud to be gay.”’#FirstDatesIRL pic.twitter.com/v7HjhPUcQ3

— RTÉ2 (@RTE2) January 24, 2019

Tadhg, a well-known singer and musician in Carlow, added: "I am proud of who I am, I am really proud of my personality and I am proud of being gay, but it's not the main thing about me. 

"Me as a person, Tadhg, is who I am."

Social media lit up in support of Tadhg and praised the young man for the candid comments about his life.

He also talked about the time he dressed up in drag for a secondary school show and got the "chaypest red dress from Penneys" which was a hit with those on Twitter. 

Tadhg doing Carlow proud on #FirstDatesIRL I'm blown away by how self aware and courageous he is for such a young man ❤️

— Rachael Doyle (@RachNiDhuill) January 24, 2019

Awww Tadgh I want him to find somebody so bad #FirstDatesIRL

— Laura Dooley (@LDools91) January 24, 2019

Tadgh and Zach are an inspiration #FirstDatesIRL #LucozadeZero

— Lucozade Ireland (@LucozadeIreland) January 24, 2019

I got the chaypest red dress from Penny's. #Classic I wanna go for pints with Tadhg #FirstDatesIRL

— Mandingo (@McGuyver123) January 24, 2019

Ah he can sing AND play the piano. Tadgh is amazing #FirstDatesIRL

— Fiona (@Itsfeee) January 24, 2019

Tadhg and Zack hit it off too and agreed to go on a second date because they "had a lot in common" and Tadhg said it was "a very good first date to have". 

First Dates Ireland is on RTÉ 2 on Thursday nights at 9.30pm.