Going Pulling with My Parents

WOULD you, could you, should you? Just some of the questions Strabane man Sean Casey will have asked himself before he decided to apply for the RTÉ show ‘Pulling With My Parents’.

The 23-year-old is the first to admit he always wanted to appear on a dating show, so when the opportunity arose he was front of the queue.

Sean explained, “I saw a post on Facebook  saying the show was  looking for people from Strabane. Ever since I was no age I wanted to go on a dating show and I just saw the opportunity and thought I had to go and do it.

“So I applied on the Friday and the woman from the show rang me on the Monday and said ‘I  saw  your application we would love you to do the show’.

“It was just a paper application at this stage.  Then she said they really wanted me to do the show as I seemed like good craic. She asked me to send a video…  so I did and it went from there.”

Reservations

Stepping up to help Sean find Miss Right were his mum Sinead and his godfather Barry Dunne. Although Sinead has quite a few reservations about the journey they were embarking on.

“My mother didn’t believe it at all, as I never even told her it was happening. I thought the chances of me getting it were slim to none. Then the woman from the show rang my mother and she thought it was one of my mates

“She didn’t really want to do it, but she did it for the craic,” Sean explained.

The next stage was a visit from the show’s producer and director.

“They arranged to come in two weeks time but the following Sunday they  rang to say they were on their way up.

“It was about 11am and I was lying in my bed, so they were about Sion or somewhere and they said they would be there in 15 minutes.

“They came in had a chat about all that was involved. I said ‘that’s grand, I’d be interested in doing the show’…  next thing the director  walks out and says ‘right let’s get going then’. I thought they were going to go home but they came back in with cameras and microphones the whole lot.

“We didn’t even know that morning we were doing the show and the next thing they are there with the cameras.

“My mother didn’t want any part to play in it and then everything was so rushed on her. She was going mental.

“First of all they had me and my mother sitting at kitchen table and they filmed us introducing ourselves.

“Then they separated us and I was asked about my past dating life and things like what does my mother thing of my dating life, and if I thought she would do well picking a date for me.

“My mother was interviewed too but I don’t have a clue what she said, I’ll have to watch it to see,

“On the second day of recording we went on my Tinder,” he explained.

“My mother had to look at all my messages, and then she  had to switch up my Tinder whatever way she wanted, and change my photo and everything and then try and match a girl on Tinder.

“Let’s just say I lost more matches than I gained,” he laughed.

“So that was the ‘virtual world’ part of it and after that we had to try and get a woman in the ‘real world’. So we went to a Ritchie Remo outdoor drive -in concert and my  mother and my godfather had to walk up and ask the girls if they would go on a date with me,

“Eventually  they got me two dates –  one from Tinder and one in the real world, and then I had to go on two dates. I went and did the two dates, the craic was 90 there was never a dull moment.

“Then me, my mother and my godfather had to agree unanimously agree who would be best for me and I had to ask her on a second date.

“Then I had to go and sit and wait in the hotel to see if she turned up… and you’ll just have to tune in to see if she did.”

Looking back on the experience Sean added, “It was really for the craic, my mother always says she know what’s best for me so I just thought I’d put her to the test and see. It was great craic, I wouldn’t change it for the world, it was such an experience I was the centre of attention and all, it was class.”

•Tune in to RTÉ 2 tonihgt (February 15) at 9.35pm to see how Sean got on with his dates.