Thank you Davy Fitz
Mother of Toy Show star: ‘You’ve made small little dreams come true for a child with a big heart’
THE charming GAA super fan who stole the hearts of the Late Late Toy Show audience has already started to work on his prematch team talk alongside his hero Davy Fitzgerald
Michael O’Brien, 11, from Killarney, Co. Kerry was one of the stars on Friday night following his review of braille and audio books.
Sports mad Michael, who is visually impaired, received an extra special prize off Ryan Tubridy as he was joined on stage by Wexford hurling boss Davy Fitzgerald, who presented him with a Wexford jersey.
‘I didn’t actually believe it. For the first 10 seconds I didn’t feel anything. The real reason I knew he was there is because he gave me a jersey, which I have in my hand right now, and that’s when I realised it was real,’ he said. Mr Fitzgerald told his biggest fan that he would like him to join him on the sidelines for three National League games and to give a pep talk to his players before the games. And Michael has already started preparing his rousing teamtalk. ‘Well, I am excited about it,’ he added. His mother Noreen said Michael had been dreaming about going on the Toy Show for years. However, she didn’t think he would be able to attend as he’d had surgery on his eyes just weeks prior to the show.
She said: ‘We were after coming from London and Michael had an operation and he was all stitched. Actually, that’s why he wore the sunglasses last night, and also because he loves his style! As a mother I want to thank RTÉ for inviting Michael on the Toy Show, and also Davy Fitzgerald for making small little dreams come true for a child with a big heart.’
THERE always is that one child who captivates the nation through sheer force of personality alone. This year, the standout character on the Late Late Toy Show was Michael O’Brien, a sharply dressed 11-year-old from Kerry, who had swagger to burn.
Visually impaired, Michael was there to review Braille and audio books, and got the surprise of his life when he met his hero, Wexford hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald.
Michael’s joy was reflected not just across the country, but everywhere in the world an Irishman or woman calls home. On the RTÉ Player, people in over 100 countries tuned in, joining the three out of every four of us watching here.
The Toy Show is one of our great institutions, uniting generations sitting in their pyjamas on the couch with mugs of hot chocolate or maybe even something a little stronger for the adults. For the very young, there is the magic of being allowed stay up late. For the older among us, there is the nostalgia, sometimes bittersweet, as we remember watching Toy Shows with our own parents, and we vicariously relive the awe and wonder of those years when we were so anxious to grow up we had no idea of the beauty and innocence of what we were leaving behind.
The Toy Show is uniquely Irish, and unashamedly plays to our love of family and our fondness for sentiment. The children on the show are uniquely Irish too, and it is to Ryan Tubridy’s credit that he was determined to include those who are different. It never is too early to teach every child that difference is there to be celebrated, not mocked. It is a big world and there is space for us all.
At this time of year, we reflect on what these 12 months have brought us, both good and bad. The Toy Show feels like the starting gun on Christmas – now, we can embrace the madness of the season with gusto. RTÉ, as always, pulled out all the stops for its flagship show of the year, and it was a triumph. Central to it all is Tubridy, whose own inner child, seldom far below the surface, is allowed to emerge triumphant and run amok on this night every year. His empathy and enthusiasm are infectious, and we hail him for uniting our great Irish family, no matter how different we are or where we are, to celebrate what makes us so uniquely, well, us.