The Late Late Show audience and viewers at home were in floods of tears on Friday night as a 98-year-old great-great-grandmother got to meet the newest member of her family for the first time, a beautiful baby girl named Lara.
Host Patrick Kielty strolled nonchalantly to the front row of the festive Late Late Show audience, and, to the surprise of one special audience member, invited 98-year-old Mary to take a seat on a big comfy armchair on stage.
He then spoke briefly about her extended family and the possibility of seeing them for Christmas before the curtains opened, and Mary was shocked to see her grandson Ross, his wife Bella and their two children, Nico and the newest member of the family, baby Lara.
Patrick Kielty on The Late Late Show. Pic: RTÉ
But the Christmas surprise didn’t stop there. Not only did Mary get to wrap her arms around her new granddaughter, but she was also taken totally by surprise by the arrival of all of her extended family – 13 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
The family all arrived out on stage to the astonishment of their gran Mary, with Patrick Kielty almost running out of breath announcing every one of them by name.
Pic: Instagram
Some of the comments on Instagram would make even the Grinch shed happy tears.
‘Her little face lit up seeing them all. What a legacy of love.’
‘Not me crying… Gush so beautiful.’
‘She looks absolutely amazing for 98. I’d love to know her secret.’
‘Just beautiful what life is all about, precious family.’
Last night’s Late Late Show truly brought home to everyone just what Christmas is really all about: love, family and being together.