After stealing the show on last year's Late Late Toy Show, multi-talented Clare lad Sheamie Garrihy made a hilarious return to RTÉ Studio 4 on Friday night for a spot of concertina playing and a story about his recent hospital visit.
The eight-year-old Kilfenora wunderkind with the famous mullet sported his great grandfather’s tweed cap, festooned with his collection of pins and badges, as he joined host Patrick Kielty.
Asked how life has changed since he shot to stardom on the Toy Show, he said, "Changed, Patrick? What kind of question is that?" I’m still going to school and my mammy is still giving out to me. Life hasn’t changed a bit."
Sheamie also revealed that he had his appendix out two weeks ago. "Awful job. I’ve a bit of story for you," he said. "I heard the consultant saying they might have to take my wobbly tooth out because I might swallow it when I was asleep for the operation.
"This is before they gave me the injection. I said, `if you take out my tooth, fifty quid under my pillow!’ I thought nurses and doctors were rich but it turns out when I woke up, I had no tooth in my head and no fifty quid.
"And Patrick, I can tell you this, he mustn’t be going to horse fairs because I spat in my hand and he spat in his and we shook . . . "
His only concern with his recovery after the operation was being able to lift one of his many chickens.
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"I have an awful heavy chicken at home," Sheamie said. "Since I saw you last, I’ve set up my own egg business. I sell eggs below in my granny’s garden centre - €3 a box! We have 20 hens and one rooster."
Sheamie has a very busy weekend ahead of him. "When I get home I’ll be flat out," he said. "I’ll be brushing my pony’s mane, I’ll be polishing her hooves, then I have to go to the parade.
"I’ve been doing it now for four years but I haven’t won yet. I might win this year but it’s not all about winning, Patrick."
Sheamie has also taken up the concertina after being inspired by his grand grandfather, Dickie O’Halloran, a very well-known player in Clare.
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"He used to play below at the Cliffs of Moher and he had his own spot," Sheamie said. "I was thinking to myself, it would be a handy enough job. Not for a job but for a bit of pocket money to go up to the Cliffs of Moher. My great granny plays concertina too and they have their own spot."
He then played The Rattling Bog on concertina for the audience and was presented with a brand new gleaming red concertina courtesy of Waltons Music in Dublin before joining Late Late trad musicians for a rendition of I’ll Tell Me Ma.
Earlier in the show, Kielty, who is the Grand Marshall of this Sunday’s St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, kicked off the weekend with a mix of craic agus ceol - and an attempt at a Guinness World Record live from Croke Park.
Watch Friday night’s Late Late Show on the RTÉ Player
