Proud Rathkeale native Kieran Duggan has described it as “a privilege” to act as celebrity chauffeur to Olympic gold medal winning rowers Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy.
Sports fanatic Kieran, who lives with his family in Mallow where he is heavily involved in the North Cork GAA community, had attended some Olympic events in France with friends, and the group befriended Paul and Fintan on the flight home from Paris to Dublin.
The rowers were due to seek a bus to Cork but generous Kieran instead offered Messrs. O’Donovan and McCarthy, along with fellow competitor Natalie Long, a 300km lift.
“When we got to the baggage hall, I couldn’t see any of the guys so we walked out through arrivals … I said to one of the guys that maybe I’d better stay on because Fintan sounded quite genuine.”
Kieran said he waited for about 20 minutes before Fintan and Paul came through arrivals and he asked Fintan if he still wanted the lift, which he said he did.
He said the three of them had “a good bit of luggage.”
“The boot was fully loaded, we had to put more stuff in the backseat and halfway out through the aisle and the front seats nearly … there were bags packed up to the roof in the back.
“We were at the boot of the car trying to figure out how to get all this luggage into the car but we eventually did… it was definitely a pinch yourself moment when I was leaving the car park.”
Mr Duggan said he was half-expecting the three of them to fall asleep but they remained awake for the entire journey. He said it was “very relaxed” and conversation was easy.
“It was just a privilege, to be honest, to have that length of time by myself with the three of them,” he added. “Right place, right time, I think.”
Good man, Kieran!