Keano is being hailed as a ‘legend’ after the heartwarming moment
14:57, 06 Dec 2025Updated 15:25, 06 Dec 2025
Keano on the Late Late Toy Show(Image: RTÉ)
Keelan Tiernan and Dylan Bowe were the stars of the Late Late Toy Show last night as Roy Keane made an appearance in the studio.
The pals, both from Dublin and aged 10, left viewers in tears after a sweet moment during the show when Keelan, who has Tourette’s, got a little teary-eyed as his nerves got the better of him. But his best friend Dylan put his arm around him and told him he was going to be okay – even making host Patrick Kielty get a little emotional.
Lewis Capaldi, who also has Tourette’s, appeared on screen from Australia, where he is on tour, to invite the pair to his Marlay Park gig next summer after Keelan sang the Scottish singer’s song ‘Someone You Loved’.
Roy Keane then appeared in the studio as the pals attempted to win toys for children in hospital – showing up right after Kielty teased his arrival by telling the friends to ‘do their job.’ The sweet moment – which has been shared across social media – shows Keano casually strolling up behind the duo, and we can see the exact second their jaws drop open as they realise who he is.
What followed was the crowd breaking into chants of ‘Keano’, before the soccer legend cut them off with his classic sense of humour, telling Kielty: “That’s my line.” He then praised the best friends as “fantastic” for supporting and looking after each other before they got on with the game to win toys for sick children.
When it was all done and dusted, Keelan told Roy that he plays in midfield as well, to which he responded: “Good boy. Best position to play.” You can check out the full surprise below.
Viewers took to social media in their droves to hail the best friends and Roy Keane for giving the duo such a sweet surprise.
One wrote: “Look at Roy’s face in this photo. He is getting as much pleasure by giving these two little boys his presence on the show, as the boys are. What a wonderful legend. These are two fantastic lads, a true example to others, old and young, of how we should treat others around us.”
Another commented: “Absolutely fabulous two boys. I cried many tears watching them. Their parents must be so, so proud of them. This kind of bond is what we need In the world. Their friendship was amazing. Being there for one another, so, so touching. As an old person they touched my heart so much. Bless them, they were just amazing.”
Keelan Tiernan and Dylan Bowe with Roy Keane at The Late Late Toy Show
Someone else said: “Actually love this man. He’s so underrated as a person and what he does for charities, as for the two boys’ genuine friendship there I hope they are friends for life as friends like that are hard to come by.”
One other person wrote: “That was the best segment the Toy Show has ever shown, the love between these two boys was unreal and the support from one friend to the other shows us what life should be about.”
“Lovely lads. The wee lad telling Keane that he played midfield, ha ha, class,” read another comment.
Keano has proven time and again in the past that he has a soft spot for his younger fans. Earlier this year, he bumped into second-year students from Scoil Mhuire gan Smál (SMGS) at Blarney Woollen Mills and took time to grab a group pic with all of them, and even sign a few bits.
SMGS staff Fiona Guiry and Leona Murphy said the Mayfield man was very accommodating, adding: “He was very sweet and gave us plenty of time, between 20 minutes and a half hour. One of our students plays soccer and Roy Keane was giving him tips. Another boy told him ‘I actually come from Mayfield too’ so they were able to chat about that. One boy even took out his Manchester United wallet, and Roy signed it.”