TommyandLimaupforchallenge
DUNDALK grandparents Tommy and Lima Conachy found themselves in the spotlight when they did the Ad Break Challenge with Karl Henry during the first Operation Transformation show of 2021.
Tommy, who is well known from his days as a press photographer, is a member of Dundalk Men’s Shed who were approached by the producers of the popular show to take part in some sequences to be filmed around town.
‘Our Shed is absolutely brilliant,’ he says, outlining how, in normal times, it has a great programme of classes t keep its members fit and on the move.
‘We have keep fit two mornings a week with Eamonn Cosgrove and Peader Breen does Tai Chi two other mornings. Before the lockdown we had a personal trainer, Robbie Callan, coming into us for six weeks for exercise classes.’
While unfortunately all these activities have been cancelled due to lockdown, Tommy volunteered to take part in the ‘Ad Break Challenge’.
‘I did it for a bit of craic,’ he explains. And once he had volunteered, his wife Lima had no choice but to join him!
Filming for the show was done before Christmas with the crew setting up outside the couple’s home on the Carrick Road.
‘It was all socially distanced,’ he recalls. ‘ They filmed from the outside and also put a camera in the room.’
He reveals that while the segment only last three minutes, it took four hours to film it!
Neither Tommy or Lima showed any signs of being nervous about appearing on national television as they spoke about how they had kept active during the first lockdown by walking around the garden of their home, joking that Tommy had names for all the daisies!
Viewers also hear how music had proved a saviour for Tommy as he played the keyboards, although he quipped joked that his wife keeps telling him to turn it down.
The couple enthusiastically tackled the exercises which Karl set them before each of the ad breaks.
‘We were exhausted afterwards,’ declared Tommy.
Expect to see other members of Dundalk Men’s Shed featured in coming weeks as the show focuses on how local community and sports groups have been coping during lockdown.
While none of the leaders are from Louth, this year’s Operation Transformation is coming from Dundalk, and the town got some great publicity, with viewers hearing how the crew started working last November with the Louth Sports Partnership.
The town never looked better with stunning aerial footage, shots of the colourful murals created for the SEEK Fesitval and the more recent EPSO Dundalk Sayings project promoted by Dundalk BIDS, and of course Dundalk Sports Centre and DkIT Sport.
Tune in RTE One to see to Operation Transformation on Wednesday evenings at 9.35pm.