“I think we know each other!”
First Dates opened with a bang on Thursday night, as 39-year-old Gemma realised that this was not, in fact, her first date with the man in the striped shirt whose name we can’t quite recall.
That’s alright though. He didn’t remember her either.
Ireland is too small a country.
Well this is awkward #irelandistoosmall #FirstDatesIRL
— Peggy O Neill (@pegnogg) April 28, 2016
This lad must be a serious player, or else he’s the best actor this side of Brendan Gleeson.
And it wasn't their first date! #AtItLikeRabbits #FirstDatesIRL 🙈 pic.twitter.com/nVKqaegS8o
— Deric (@deric_tv) April 28, 2016
Ireland is so small, statistically, an accidental second date was bound to happen #FirstDatesIRL
— Her.ie (@Herdotie) April 28, 2016
Mark. His name is Mark. Thanks Twitter.
Meanwhile, Conor and Laura were both on their first ever first date and she was having a hard time disguising the fact that she fancied him rotten. Lucky Conor, she’s a nice girl.
https://twitter.com/vickinotaro/status/725785853478469633
The Ginge couple better hook up #FirstDatesIRL
— Wayne L (@WayneLawlor) April 28, 2016
She says ‘like’ a lot, but as the late and great Prince once crooned, it’s just a sign o’ the times. Trying to get a 20-year-old girl not to say ‘like’ is akin to asking the rain not to fall in Ireland.
Meanwhile, for anyone still watching Villarreal bore the shite of the football-loving world…
3 European matches on TV this week. One goal. #FirstDatesIRL going on now, I give up!!
— Liam Behan (@lbehan86) April 28, 2016
Conor and Laura look identical. It’s… troubling.
Back with the older pair, nobody’s impressed that Mark’s left Gemma sitting while he goes out for a smoke.
https://twitter.com/muddyringlets/status/725789043867410433
Conor and Laura agree to see each other again, when she tells him “In a really nice way you smell like my grandad.”
His response? “Cool. Ehm…”
= = =
Ciara is back at the restaurant after her date for the first date failed to show. He had a family emergency, and she’s back for more.
Kias is 21 and a bit of a lady’s man and fancies himself “big time.” He likes to party. He says it eight times in the same sentence.
And he picks up women in Nando’s.
If he was an ice cream he'd lick himself #FirstDatesIrl
— Cactus Jack Fan (@Cactustravelfan) April 28, 2016
"If word got out that I was with a girl that wasn't up to my high standards I'd be in trouble." Kias is a chancer. #FirstDatesIRL
— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) April 28, 2016
Kias, at least, loves his mammy. But we’re not forgetting the Nando’s remark.
"You do pick up women in Nandos" yep. High standards #FirstDatesIRL pic.twitter.com/4YCDwN9qQv
— Niamhers (@niamhhassell) April 28, 2016
= = =
We’re on to Dawn, who’s 24 and from Tralee. She’s looking for a very special girl to knock her off her feet. She’s meeting 21-year-old Alannah-Rose who is bisexual but admits that she’s never had the confidence to have a girlfriend.
Im dying for a drink … Any date that starts with this is destined to end in #tears #FirstDatesIRL
— Mary ✨🥂 (@theglamchop) April 28, 2016
Back to Mark and Gemma, she’s getting VERY cross at him for taking the bill and offering to pay. He’s being a bit intense himself, but we’re with him all the way. It’s all about the chivalry.
But…
#firstdatesirl The contestants have to stump up for their own meals?
— Niall Twamley (@ntwamley) April 28, 2016
They decide not to see each other again. It’s probably for the best.
Mark: How are you?
Eh my eyes are up here! There won't be a 3rd date karate kid. Grab your duffle coat, you haven't pulled #FirstDatesIRL— Michelle (@ShellB1975) April 28, 2016
Time for an ad break. Mark can grab another smoke.
= = =
In the meantime, a drinking game was born.
https://twitter.com/SeanMarum/status/725793622529024000
= = =
Dawn wants to see the kid’s menu, and doesn’t like wine, while Alannah-Rose rolls the eyes. You can tell this won’t end well.
Twitter is a lot more concerned with Kias and Ciara. He’s just asked her how long to wait before having sex. Has he even had his starter?
Still, he turns out to be a good lad. Pays the bill, and she says there’s a spark.
This lad isn't as bad as I initially thought… Think he may have been playing up to the cameras a bit… #FirstDatesIRL
— Roisin (@RoRoSuperRo) April 28, 2016
She wants a second date, but he doesn’t think they’d be compatible. She says she’ll probably still shift him if they see each other in the pub.
Honestly if a date ends with both people agreeing they’d probably shift each other at some point, that’s a roaring success #FirstDatesIRL
— Her.ie (@Herdotie) April 28, 2016
= = =
Melissa and Corey are from Belfast and Galway respectively. He says he’s ‘old school,’ while he’s also roughly 13-years-old by the look of him.
= = =
This is one mystery solved. They do it on the UK version too. For anyone calling RTÉ cheapskates.
https://twitter.com/vickinotaro/status/725795982261293056
= = =
Note to Corey, if this doesn’t work out…
https://twitter.com/ciarawoods_x/status/725796382007808000
I actually spat my tea out!! 😂😂😂 #FirstDatesIRL https://t.co/3vEjwIUXBL
— Laura Del Rey (@Lauramcoffey) April 28, 2016
There’s a lot of promise here. They’re talking about previous relationships but being vague on the specifics, risky but it’s good to see the conversation flowing.
= = =
Back, briefly, to the two girls: they have no interest in each other, so we really have no interest in them…
“There’s no romantic spark there, at all.”
https://twitter.com/KerleySarah/status/725797878824865797
= = =
Finally, we’re left to Corey and Melissa. This could be love. He’s bringing her to Galway.
https://twitter.com/BarryM85/status/725798640174911488
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