Ireland’s new favourite couple on a third date
Love blossoms for novices despite hospital setback
THEY captured the hearts of the nation after their awkward firstever date was broadcast to thousands of viewers on this week’s episode of RTÉ’s First Dates Ireland.
And now the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal that romance is continuing to blossom for likeable Lauren Dempsey and Paddy Murphy.
Viewers were delighted to see Cupid’s arrow strike for cystic fibrosis patient Lauren, 20, and budding actor Paddy, 19, on Thursday night’s show.
Both of the novice daters had never ever been on an official date with anyone else before.
‘You have to keep it lit, my mammy is chuffed’ ‘It’s like we know each other for years’
But the cute couple’s romance threatened to be derailed after their second date was delayed because of a trip to hospital for Co. Kildare woman Lauren.
Now the MoS can reveal that not only did the couple get to enjoy their second date, but they’ve just had their third one as well.
When the MoS caught up with the happy pair, they had just enjoyed their third rendezvous at the Art of Coffee café at Grand Canal Quay in Dublin.
Budding actor Paddy explained that their secret so far has been to ‘keep the romance lit’.
Lauren, who is originally from Athy, Co. Kildare, and is studying Media and Public Relations at Carlow IT, spoke of her battle with the illness that claimed the life of her younger sister.
Her fellow novice dater Paddy is a drama student in DIT.
He is no stranger to the limelight but told the MoS that this experience was very different than anything he’s ever done before.
Paddy said: ‘After the filming of the show, Lauren had to go back to hospital because she was a bit poorly with the cystic fibrosis.
‘We did end up going on a lovely second date to Dublin Zoo. It started lashing rain, which wasn’t ideal, but we washed it down with a lovely pint of Guinness in the Guinness Store House afterwards.’
Paddy took Lauren for a third date at the trendy café on Friday and told the MoS that his TV appearance had been given the seal of approval by the other woman in his life – his mother. He said: ‘We’re on a third date here now and it seems to be going well. What can I say, you have to keep the romance lit and my mammy is chuffed.’
For Lauren, the experience of dating on national television was a little daunting to begin with, but one that she really enjoyed.
She told the MoS: ‘When I applied for it first, I thought initially: “Why am I doing this to myself,” but now I’m really happy. It was my firstever date and I have this great experience to look back on now for the rest of my life.
‘Paddy is a super guy and our second date at the zoo was fantastic… well, besides the rain. It was good craic and it’s like we know each other for years.’
Lauren revealed that she hopes that the pair can keep their romance going despite the distance from Carlow to Dublin.
She said: ‘My parents were delighted with how the date turned out. When they heard, first of all that I was going on TV they thought, “Oh God,” but they are happy it all worked out okay.’
The new season of First Dates Ireland continues on RTÉ Two on Thursday night at 9.30pm.
sean.dunne@mailonsunday.ie