Sean O’Rourke stopped off at the Galway Races yesterday in a campervan as he is spending his summer holidays driving around the country.
The RTE Radio One host and his wife Caroline Murphy have been taking in some of Ireland’s nicest scenery as he enjoys some time away from his morning slot on the station.
He said: “We’re going around Ireland in a motorhome and the radio is broken in it as well which is great.
“We got bikes. We started in Wexford last week and are literally making it up as we go along.
“We spent two nights in Duncannon and then we went to Bantry and on to Skibbereen and Dungarvan and then on up via Adare, and we’re heading for Connemara and Sligo. probably Renvile and Sligo but we fully intended on going to Kerry but never got there.”
O’Rourke also revealed he has no plans to retire any time soon.
He added: “It is the furthest thing from my mind.
“I am as happy in my work as I have ever been. I think I am just coming off one of the best years we have ever had, for me me personally and for the program, so that’s how it is.”
Ryan Tubridy is also enjoying some time away from Donnybrook and was at Ballybrit yesterday.
The Late Late Show host is hoping to return to the city to for a special edition of the programme later this year.
He said: “It’s the best city. I’m half Galway. I always say that, but it’s true. My father was born in Oranmore so I always feel complete affinity to the place.
“I’d love to bring the Late Late here some night here in the new season if they’d let me.
“I’d love to do it. We did one in London last year and I just loved getting out and people responded so well.
“I’m that ambitious I’d love to take it further afield the States, Australia.
“Start in Galway and then keep going across the ocean into New York only because the response from the Irish in London was just so lovely and warm and I’d love to tap into that because you’re no just tapping into the people in those countries, it’s the family here going ‘great’.
“That’s just daydreaming. Believe me that’s just day dreaming.”
And Tubs revealed Shane Lowry’s granny is high on his list of people to interview on the Late Late this year.
He added: “Lots of people have done amazing things this summer. I’ve a little notebook at home and I’m taking notes going him, her...
“Shane Lowry’s granny, don’t mind Shane Lowry. She was amazing. His win last week was the most Irish victory and I just think the way things are going at the moment with Brexit, Boris Johnson’s peculiar behaviour this week towards the Taoiseach.
"I know they had a phone call this afternoon. That’s fine, but I think we need to be a little more proud of ourselves. I think we need to be a little more Irish.
“Personally my back’s up a bit. My blood is green. As a country, we need to pull together now. Even things like shopping local, going to the independent bookshop or the shop up the road..
“We have to because otherwise you get stamped on and walked over. There’s an awful whiff of arrogance in the air that you have to be aware of.”
Tubridy was also delighted with Dubliner Eoin Morgan captaining England to win the Cricket World Cup.
He said: “Galway races - great, an Irish institution. Shane Lowry - I couldn’t be more proud. The cricket team was led by an Irishman and that was delicious. That was just gorgeous.”
Miriam O’Callaghan was with her colleagues on day two of the festival and said the recent RTE programme on the Hide and Seek Creche was “very disturbing.
She commented: “I thought it was the most extraordinary and powerful documentary, and it shows how important that type of journalism is.
“As a mother, I think everyone just felt that could have been my baby crying.
“I think RTE highlight a very important issue and I think people will be much more careful going forward about how they run their creches.”
The first race on the course yesterday didn’t even involve horses as five people took on each other in the Paddy Power Zorbing Derby.
GAA stars Ollie Canning and Aidan O’Mahony faced Off The Ball’s Ger Gilroy, John Duggan and Eoin Sheehan.
Canning won the contest for the third year in a row and has held aloft by the other participants to celebrate.
Former Kerry star O’Mahony revealed he would be interested in doing a Dancing With The Stars roadshow if it came to fruition.
He said: “I’ve heard about it alright. We’ll see. Obviously it would be nice to do.”
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