The Public Have Spoken: Here’s Why Alice Was The True Breakout Star Of First Dates Ireland

So season one of First Dates Ireland has drawn to a close, and it’s time to get reflective about it all – the best dates, the worst dates, the cringe moments and, crucially, the team who shepherded the daters through it all.

We had Mateo: the charming, funny and kind maitre d’ who greeted every participant to the restaurant, and settled their nerves with an easy quip.

And we had Ethan: the philosophical, bearded mixologist who whipped them up something strong to calm them down even further.

Both were deadly. And both will, hopefully, be warmly welcomed back to season two.

But a quick look through Twitter, particularly in the last two episodes, shows that there was one real breakout star: Alice.

#FirstDatesIRL Alice the waitress needs her own show

— Eoghan Ó Braonáin (@eobraonain) May 26, 2016

The waiting staff in the UK show are excellent, of course, but seldom have they merited as much screen time as our Alice – whose subtle but probing questions to daters often drew more juicy insights than the sit-down interviews.

Meanwhile, her general soundness while serving went down a treat with the viewing public – particularly when she somehow managed to procure a pair of chains to go into one couple’s cocktails, following a joke they made while ordering.

All I can think of is the band ‘Alice in Chains’ now… #FirstDatesIRL

— Justine Stafford (@JustineStafford) May 19, 2016

On the whole, Twitter reacted accordingly…