Search icon

Entertainment

14th Nov 2020

Ever wonder if takeaways deliver to the Áras? We now know the answer  

James Fenton

Staying in? Lovin Dublin’s Date Box meal kit is officially available to order. Go on and treat yourself!

This story just goes to show that even the President of Ireland needs the comfort of a Chinese takeaway every now and again.

Former President Mary McAleese appeared on the Six O’Clock Show last night, where she fielded questions on her time in Áras an Uachtaráin. Elected as President in 1997, McAleese moved into Ireland’s most famous house with her husband Martin and their three children.

Of course, it was a big move for the family but that doesn’t mean that every aspect of their lives changed instantly. Living in the centre of the Phoenix Park, they still wanted their home comforts and a Chinese takeaway was one of them.

However, it wasn’t all that easy to get one delivered initially, as the former President explained: “Friday night in our house was always takeaway night and that was okay before we moved because the takeaway was just across the road from the house, so the children would just ring in the order and collect it.

“So (in the Áras), they rang in the order to the nearest Chinese takeaway and of course when they said where it was to be delivered to, they were they were greeted with skepticism at the far end. There was a bit of a to-do, everybody of course thought it was a prank phone call and we had a job to try and explain to people, ‘No, it’s not, we really do want the Chinese delivered to Áras an Uachtaráin!”

It all turned out okay though because she added: “Eventually we got it sorted but for a horrible while the children thought, ‘Is this how life is going to be from now on – no more Chinese takeaways forever?'”

We can only hope that Michael D. Higgins has found it easier to get his Chinese, pizza or whatever tickles his fancy, to the Áras since taking over from McAleese. You can hear Mary’s informative anecdote in the clip below…

READ NEXT: The Coronas in hugely generous act for fans as traditional Christmas show confirmed

Topics: