Tommy Bowe has attempted to recreate the most viral Ireland AM moment ever, nearly five years later.
While Tommy is known as a brilliant winger and centre for the Ireland rugby team, he’s also found a new home following his retirement from the sport as a presenter on Ireland AM since 2020.
While he’s had his fair share of viral moments, ranging from having to quickly change outfits following fashion faux pas to grilling politicians in viral clips, no one will ever forget when he and Clare McKenna were set to interview Seamas O’Reilly.
Tommy Bowe has attempted to recreate the most viral Ireland AM moment ever, nearly five years later. Pic: Virgin Media Television
Of course, Clare introduced the segment by explaining that Seamas was only five when he and his ten siblings — before Tommy interjected ‘ten siblings!?’ — sadly lost their mother.
The moment went mega viral, even all these years later, and while Clare left Ireland AM, she returned on the other side of the couch as a guest ahead of the release of her book Would You Be Well.
Naturally, Tommy had to recreate the iconic moment, albeit with his new(er) co-host Muireann O’Connell, who kicked off the segment by saying: ‘health experts say every day you have to walk 10,000…’
Tommy and his former co-host Clare McKenna were introducing author Seamas O’Reilly, with the former Irish rugby international baulking at the fact that Seamas and his 10 SIBLINGS… sadly lost their mum. Pic: Virgin Media TV
‘10,000!?’ Tommy interrupted, before Muireann finished: ‘steps in order not to die.’
While Tommy tried matching the awkwardness of the original moment, he admitted it was without its charm, telling Muireann: ‘it’s just not the same with you.’
After reminding the, maybe, 20 people who haven’t seen the clip, they replayed the original in all its glory, before Clare and Tommy reminisced on the worldwide fame that came with arguably the greatest gaffe in Irish television history.
After being asked by Tommy if it follows her around ‘as well,’ Clare responded that it does, in fact, follow her, telling her former co-host: ‘Everywhere. Even my kids send it back to me.
‘It’s in lots of compilations, isn’t it? About funny TV moments or funny Irish memes,’ Clare added, before saying that her son didn’t believe her when she told him just how viral it went.
‘My son’s 14, and he says: “you didn’t really go viral. It only went around Ireland.” And I’m like: “It went global, okay!? It went really viral.”‘
While Tommy probably would argue that his only regret was never letting Clare finish the exposition around Seamas and his — say it with me — 10 siblings!?, Clare admitted that the only regret she had was her choice of outfit.
‘The gúna. It’s not what I wanted to be wearing to go viral,’ Clare joked, before Muireann argued: ‘it’s fine!’ before admitting that the wrap dress was just one of those things people didn’t enjoy wearing on TV.
‘But it was the handiest thing to put on the mic packs or whatever,’ Muireann admitted. ‘So you’re like, you’re everywhere with that dress.’
‘Yeah well… it’s the one that won’t go away,’ Clare added, before Muireann asked: ‘you burned it, didn’t you?’ which Clare confirmed with a laugh. ‘It’s gone gone gone.’