# Well known personalities - what are they like?



## liaconn (9 Dec 2011)

Just wondering if any of you have met any well known personalities and what were they like?

I've met Miriam O'Callaghan at a party and she was absolutely lovely. I've also met Micheal O'Muirecheartaigh and he was also really nice.

I used to live near Twink and would see her occasionally around the shops. She always seemed to be showing off a bit.
I saw Amy Hubermann in M&S a while back and she was walking along very quickly and briskly and was obviously hoping no one would stop her or recognise her. She did smile at my little nephew though when he got in her way!

I met Red Hurley through a work event and he was completely and totally obnoxious. Seems to think he's a big superstar instead of an over the hill cabaret singer.


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## micmclo (9 Dec 2011)

Mick McCarthy, gentleman
A gang of us going to a Glasgow Celtic game met him in Dublin Airport. Mick being a former player approached us and chatted and signed stuff for us. He was Ireland manager at the time. 
I've had a soft spot for Wolves ever since and if he moves team I'll cheer his new team too

Worked the infamous Galway Races tent when I was a student in GMIT
Brian Cowen, now that man can sink a pint or several. Nice to talk to though, no air or graces about him. Very ordinary man and I mean that in a good way 

Patrick Bergin, actor most famous for Sleeping with the Enemy with Julia Roberts. He's from Tipp and I worked in the local hotel. Rude bordering on abusive, _"do you know who I am" _attitude. 

Jenson Button, met him twice, once at Spa in Belgium which I suppose he had PR staff with him but also once on a street in London and got chatting to him. Pure gent, lovely guy

When Spandau Ballet reformed they played in the Point in Dublin. Martin Kemp walked into the Clarion Hotel IFSC and turned every ladies head when he walked into the bar. What a guy . Tough luck ladies, he was there with his wife

One more, when I moved to Dublin I lived in Artane. Brian McFadden would be visiting his family around there. That Kerry Katona, pure stuck up. Could be the most dreary overcast day and she'd strut around with sunglasses on and ignore everyone.
I can't say I talked to her or met her, I've no desire to talk to her but the locals weren't impressed. 
McFadden was a decent guy though and he's certainly done better then Katona out in Australia


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## thedaras (9 Dec 2011)

Oh dear God re Red Hurley!

Met Billy idol, and  Pavorotti ,Most of the cast of fair city and Brendan O Carroll.(Bet you never thought you would see all those mentioned in the one sentence!)

Met one person who will remain nameless who told me he was "somebodys" Father!

Amy Humberman,she is stunning,Brian O Drisscol,he is stunning too,and both really nice people!

One of the Nicest ,was  Derek Davis,a dote of a man,and he was a really funny guy .

Met Eamon Dunphy and was surprised at how small he was and George Hook I was surprised at how tall he was.

Anna Nolan, she is such a great person,very humble.

Another favourite is Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh,what a gem..really funny guy
And Jerry Mai, (she presented the winning streak last week),and is one of my favourite people,such a lovely person.

Met many in my day, they are all just fine,just like everyone else you either get on with them or you dont.
It is usually the people around them that behave badly,and not the "Stars" themselves..


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## TarfHead (9 Dec 2011)

thedaras said:


> And Jerry Mai ..


 
Geri Maye 

That's all I can offer to this thread


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## callybags (9 Dec 2011)

I met John Bruton many many years ago... around 1991 I think, when he was leader of Fine Gael but before he became taoiseach.

I thought he was so far up himself that he would disappear.


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## truthseeker (9 Dec 2011)

Ive met Twink several times, lets just say, Id rather not have.

Ryan Tubridy - he is lovely, totally ordinary and funny.

Jeremy Beadle - he was great fun, a late night sing song and session in a hotel in Blackpool.

I got a snog off Dr Karl Kennedy from Neighbours in Australia - its my best claim to fame really - I met other cast members of neighbours, my one memory is that they pretty much all gave out to Irish people for having sunburn - the Ozzies are very very safe about sun exposure.

My husband met and worked with Sean Gallagher a number of times, he didnt vote for him 

I sat a couple of seats away from Ronan Keating waiting for a flight, but didnt try to speak to him - other people did though and he was very gracious.

Brian O Driscoll - met him very drunk (he was) in a nightclub and when I didnt know who he was he was astounded and rude to me.


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## MeathCommute (9 Dec 2011)

truthseeker said:


> I got a snog off Dr Karl Kennedy from Neighbours in Australia - its my best claim to fame really


 
What do you think those Neighbours nights out in Melbourne are for ? Himself and Toadfish use it for getting it on with women


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## horusd (9 Dec 2011)

Had dinner with David Norris one night. He and I have mutual friends, it  was great. He never shut up and had us laughing all night. A real gent.


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## Yorrick (9 Dec 2011)

horusd said:


> Had dinner with David Norris one night. He and I have mutual friends, it was great. He never shut up and had us laughing all night. A real gent.


 

Did he invite you to take up the ancient Greek sugar daddy lifestyle ?


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## STEINER (10 Dec 2011)

met RTE presenter Pat Kenny 3 years ago, he was perfectly normal and sound.

wife met him a few years back and she thought he was completely up himself and a complete tosser!


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## truthseeker (10 Dec 2011)

MeathCommute said:


> What do you think those Neighbours nights out in Melbourne are for ? Himself and Toadfish use it for getting it on with women


 
Yes I was most disappointed a few years later when a younger friend produced similiar pics - cant believe he forgot me so fast......


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## Sue Ellen (10 Dec 2011)

Met Daniel O'Donnell with his wife.  Don't normally approach well known personalities because I feel sorry for them being tormented all the time.
Asked him for autograph for my Mother and he couldn't have been nicer (I know, I know but she, like all the ol' dears these days likes him a lot).  He took her name, signed the autograph and chatted for a while.  His wife stood to one side and smiled all the time despite probably being bored to tears.


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## Complainer (10 Dec 2011)

Miriam O'C did some work for us on a corporate event - utterly professional and skilled, and very pleasant too. I kept her mobile number in my address book, just to show off to friends etc.


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## Vanilla (10 Dec 2011)

No-one ever has a bad word to say about Daniel O'Donnell, it seems. One of my close relatives is a journalist who spent some time in the red tops and it seemed to be well known that he was genuinely nice.

I've never met any rude 'celebrities' but my late mother once met Tina Turner in a hotel in Amsterdam and apparently she was awful. 

The only well known person I've met who made any impression on me was John Hume. Met him at a wedding in Donegal and he was very polite and patient despite the fact that everyone in the whole place ( and it was a big wedding!) wanted to talk to him.


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## RonanC (11 Dec 2011)

Vanilla said:


> No-one ever has a bad word to say about Daniel O'Donnell, it seems.



Oh really?  I met him a good few years ago at his old Dublin home. I was asked to deliver something and then have photos taken with him for the boss. I didnt like him at all, found him to be very cold and just wanted me to go. He didnt want to talk and even criticised the person taking pictures. 

I met Angelina Jolie a couple of years ago and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I shook her hand and swore I would never wash that hand again. My phone decided to die on me, so I couldnt take a picture. I met Colin Farrell too and he was very nice, he even asked me how I was doing. I thought that was so funny. 

I met Roy Keane in Dublin airport. He was playing for Man Utd at the time. I was wearing a lovely red Liverpool jersey and asked him to get in a photo with me. The smell of drink off him nearly knocked me out and we had a good laugh about the Man Utd/Liverpool rivalry. 

I met Robbie Keane in the toilet of a Dublin nightclub years ago, lets just say we didnt shake hands  Nice bloke, chatted away for a few mins. 

Bumped into Rafa Benitez a couple of days before the 2007 Champions League final. He seemed to be under pressure but still stopped for photos and talked about the match. Absolute gentleman!


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## Purple (11 Dec 2011)

I saw Ronan Keating a few years back in an airport in England (I can’t remember which one). He looked absolutely exhausted and was holding himself up leaning against a wall. Some girls saw him and went over to say hello. He picked himself up, smiled and took the time to chat and have photo’s taken. When the girls left he slumped against the wall again. I was really taken aback by how nice and how professional he was.

I met Garth Brooks in Eddie Rockets in Donnybrook one night. He was on his way back from a concert and an appearance on the Late Late show and his son wanted an American burger so the coach driver brought them there. They were inside when we got there and once they had eaten he spent ten minutes signing autographs and chatting to people. When he left one man ran out after him to get an autograph for his young daughter who was still inside as she was too shy to ask for it when Brooks was there. He went back inside, and spent a couple of minutes talking to the kid. I thought it was a really nice and gracious thing to do.

I also had dinner with President McAleese and Martin McAleese one time. They were both very nice and very impressive people.

A friend worked on a project with Amy Huberman a few years back. She (my friend) was very impressed with Huberman, said she was a very clever lady and was very professional and hard working.


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## Betsy Og (12 Dec 2011)

John Aldridge in Rasher Geraghty's about 13 years ago - just went over and thanked him for his services to the nation - v. rarely do I see celebs but I generally leave them alone & if I hadnt anything nice to say I definitely wouldnt bother them.

Came across Gaybo once, again yonks ago, walking around Howth head, gorgeous day, no-one within miles, going  opposite directions so saw someone  coming a long way of. Didnt want to eyeball this person, so at the last second just said how'reya, he gave I nod, I then spotted who it was so I stopped and said, Oh, how'reya Gay....... but he just walked on...... Havent been his biggest fan since, more for his general condescending tone on TV/radio than that innocuous encounter.


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## PaddyW (13 Dec 2011)

Would agree with micmclo re Mick McCarthy. When I was younger and used to caddy, I was out in a group with him and he was sound. Not afraid to abuse himself either when he left putts short!

I've caddied for Mike Mills from R.E.M. and he was really down to earth. Chatted with me the whole way round and posed for a photo with me after, no problems. He even sent me a limited edition cd a number of months after our encounter!

Nicky from Westlife I've met twice and both times he was very chatty and came across well.

Came across a lot of golfing celebrities too. Tiger Woods was very off hand with everyone, just breezed pass and didn't really acknowledge anyone. 
Payne Stewart was a character and a gent on top.
Tom Watson is just a gentleman, very outgoing and not afraid to talk to anyone.

Can't think of anymore at the moment but will post again if I do!


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## Mpsox (13 Dec 2011)

Roy Keane, saw him sitting at Dublin Airport one afternoon having a pint and quite happily signing authographs for anyone that asked. Very polite and nice and couldn't fault him.

Paul O'Connell appologised to me after he bumped into me with a bag, bit of a gentle giant, at least off the pitch


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## Firefly (13 Dec 2011)

Had the Dalai Lama around for tea once. The funniest person I've ever  met. What was even funnier was Bono scraping the front door like a dog  trying to get in.


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## Purple (13 Dec 2011)

Mpsox said:


> Roy Keane, saw him sitting at Dublin Airport one afternoon having a pint and quite happily signing authographs for anyone that asked. Very polite and nice and couldn't fault him.
> 
> Paul O'Connell appologised to me after he bumped into me with a bag, bit of a gentle giant, at least off the pitch



You're from Cork, right? 

I've never met O'Connell but I've never heard anyone say anything but good things about him. A friend (from Limerick) works in UL and said that he's a total gent. BTW, he's nothing good to say about O'Gara.


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## thedaras (13 Dec 2011)

Well I can top ye all..
Ive met a very famous Irish man,hes on de telly and de radio...none other than ....Brendan Burgess!!!!!!!


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## Firefly (13 Dec 2011)

thedaras said:


> Well I can top ye all..
> Ive met a very famous Irish man,hes on de telly and de radio...none other than ....Brendan Burgess!!!!!!!



Be careful...he might make you a mod


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## Purple (13 Dec 2011)

Firefly said:


> Be careful...he might make you a mod



or a rocker...


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## Mpsox (13 Dec 2011)

Purple said:


> You're from Cork, right?
> 
> I've never met O'Connell but I've never heard anyone say anything but good things about him. A friend (from Limerick) works in UL and said that he's a total gent. BTW, he's nothing good to say about O'Gara.


 
yes, from de real capital boy

Weird thing about O'Connell was that it happened at Heuston Station during the snow earlier in the year. Everyone was wrapped up to the nines in big coats, hats and scarves and he had a sweatshirt and jeans on and no coat. 

Think O'Gara has been given a hard time by the press in the past so he's probably a bit wary

Met a few of the Cork Hurlers in the past as well, Sean Og is a gent, as is Donal Og Cusack, they've quite happily done medal presentations and training sessions with kids and refused anything they were offered for it


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## Mpsox (13 Dec 2011)

Firefly said:


> Be careful...he might make you a mod


 
Yeah, I've seen him before as well. down in Kilkenny at Garrison Keillor, but I prefered to maintain my secret identity rathern then say hello. Plus, some of these media types.......


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## Firefly (13 Dec 2011)

Mpsox said:


> Weird thing about O'Connell was that it happened at Heuston Station during the snow earlier in the year. Everyone was wrapped up to the nines in big coats, hats and scarves and he had a sweatshirt and jeans on and no coat.



Q...http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=110999


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## Mpsox (13 Dec 2011)

Firefly said:


> Q...http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=110999


 
I was at Gift Grub live a couple of weeks back, the Limerick news sketches with himself and Willie O'Dea had me in stitches


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## Purple (13 Dec 2011)

Firefly said:


> Q...http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=110999


Interesting post in that thread by Teatime, showing an article from South Africa just before the Lions Tour that O'Connell captained. Unfortunately the author was spot on.


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## Firefly (13 Dec 2011)

Purple said:


> Interesting post in that thread by Teatime, showing an article from South Africa just before the Lions Tour that O'Connell captained. Unfortunately the author was spot on.



Paul O'Connell unfortunately heard a vicious rumour that Chuck Norris was around that weekend and was saving himself


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## micmclo (13 Dec 2011)

The only reason this thread exists is because Paul O'Connell allows it


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## PaddyW (15 Dec 2011)

Superman has Paul O'Connell pyjamas....


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## The_Banker (17 Dec 2011)

I once asked Kathryn Thomas to dance in CFJs. She said no :-(

Its my only brush with someone famous.


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## duchalla (19 Dec 2011)

A friend of mine met Paul O'Connell in Dublin couple of month back. this was after the nightclub so they went to the chipper together! The buddy rang me round haf 2 in the morning and said "Paul O'Connell wants to talk to you!"  Chatted away on the phone to me for a couple of mins, sound skin.


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