Pat Spillane should be a tourism ambassador for Kerry as his love for his native county is palpable, according to TV host Lucy Kennedy.
The Kerry football legend and his wife Rosarii opened their home in Kenmare for a few days of swimming, sightseeing and GAA games for the hit show Living with Lucy.
Lucy said she has never met a person more passionate about their hometown than eight-time All Ireland winner turned pundit Pat.
She said: “He turned into someone who works for Bord Failte. He brought me the whole way around Kerry and kept telling me that I need to buy there and querying why I wasn’t living there.
“He loves Kerry so much. We went for a swim so I saw Pat Spillane in his little tightie whities. He got into the sea and I paddled.
“We went to his training ground where he learned to play GAA. We went around the village and got a takeaway.
“We went on a boat trip around his area. Kerry is gorgeous.
“He is just so funny and had story after story. He is really good craic.
“Pat needs an open top bus. That’s all he’s missing for his next gig.
“He gets an awful time and he is slagged off because he is an opinionated man but he’s great craic and has a massive heart.”
Lucy said people will see a different side to Pat when he is with his wife Rosarii — and that he is the only guest to have ever put her up in her own accommodation during a visit.
She said: “He is a good guy and people will love seeing him with his wife. He adores her.
“When you see people with their family, that’s who they really are. It softens a person when you see them with people they love.
“He’s absolutely hilarious. I don’t think he took a breath he talked so much but he said that I was worse.
“He is really nice along with his wife, Rosarii, who is such a lady.
“I was in their granny flat attached to their house so it was the first time that I’ve had my own gaff on Living with Lucy.”
Last year, the COVID-19 crisis forced the format of the TV show to change to Lodging with Lucy.
She welcomed famous faces into her guesthouse in line with public health guidance.
However, the series is now back in its original format and Lucy will live with a new batch of celebrities for a weekend.
Lucy said: “I missed it. There is a big difference.”
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