Meet Love Island's gorgeous Irish bombshells everyone's talking about
Love Island returns to Irish screens tonight, kicking off its 12th season with a fresh batch of lovestruck singles ready to find romance under the Balearic sun.
This year, all eyes are on Ireland, with two contestants from Dublin and Limerick already grabbing attention before the villa doors have even opened.
Early betting odds from BoyleSports reveal that Dublin energy broker and musical theatre performer Megan Forte Clarke is a clear favourite to win. Drawing comparisons to Irish Love Island legend Maura Higgins, Megan is currently the female contestant most likely to find herself in the winning couple, with tempting odds of 3/1.
But Megan isn't flying solo in the romance stakes. Limerick man and professional rugby player Conor Philips has entered the villa as a late substitute. Conor is also among the early favourites, with odds of 7/2 to go all the way and possibly make Irish fans proud.
Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: "We're eager to see if sparks fly when Rugby pro Conor tries to kick-start a romance in the villa, but Megan is already a darling of punters so Irish fans are clearly eyeing a fairytale outcome."
These two Irish hopefuls are part of a wider group of 12 singles, each hoping to make their mark on Love Island 2025.
24-year-old Megan from Dublin is a musical theatre performer and energy broker, who is hoping to find her very own Timothée Chalamet in the villa.
Explaining what she's looking for the Irish beauty said: "Someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously and has a sense of humour. If they're not bad looking, that's always a plus. I love a boy that's a bit pasty. I don't mind scrawny, or a bit of a 'dad bod'. I'm 5ft1 so any height really."
Megan has already been stopped in the streets for a viral TikTok she made when her and her pals dressed up as the sitcom characters from Derry Girls, and the has also preformed in a couple pantos.
Professional rugby player Conor Phillips, 25, says he's after "someone who is really sure of themselves, ambitious, a bit of a go-getter and good craic" - and revealed he doesn't mind "a dominant woman". But don't expect him to be clingy. "I don't like to answer to anyone else. I like to do my own thing", he admitted, adding that being "too needy" is his biggest ick.
He described himself as the "class clown type vibe", and joked his love life would be called 'Still Trying' - "it's got to be a rugby pun, hasn't it?" And while he says he'd be "keeping my head above water" in the dating world, he's ready to settle down and "invest in some stocks".
As for his flirting style? "I ask girls if they want to go halves on a baby… it doesn't work, but it gets them laughing."
Fans can catch the first episode of Love Island 2025 on Virgin Media Two tonight at 9pm, with host Maya Jama returning to guide viewers through the twists, turns and temptations of this summer's season. Narrator Iain Stirling's witty commentary will keep the energy high as the villa's new arrivals begin their quest for love - and a share of the £50,000 prize.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
36 minutes ago
- Sunday World
Damien Duff quits as Shelbourne boss and sends shockwaves through League of Ireland
duff bombshell | The Ireland legend decided he could offer no more to the side who claimed the Premier Division title last season. Duff could not be convinced to rethink his decision to leave the club. Photo: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile The statement released by the reigning League of Ireland Premier Division champions on Sunday confirmed the former Ireland and Chelsea star who led Shels to the title last season has decided he could offer no more to the team after a 1-0 defeat against Derry City on Friday night. 'Shelbourne FC regretfully wishes to announce the departure of Damien Duff as first team manager,' read the club statement. 'Damien informed the club this morning that, after much thought, he has made the decision to resign. He shared the news with the players earlier today. 'While all at Shelbourne FC are deeply saddened by Damien's decision, we fully respect that he feels this is the right choice for him at this time. Duff could not be convinced to rethink his decision to leave the club. Photo: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd 'During his four extraordinary years at Tolka Park, Damien transformed Shelbourne Football Club both on and off the pitch. 'Appointed in November 2021, he took over a newly promoted side and rebuilt it from the ground up. Duff guided Shels to a seventh-place finish and a first FAI Cup Final appearance since 2011 in that debut season. The following year, in 2023, a fourth-place finish brought the Reds back to European competition for the first time in 18 years. 'In 2024, Duff led the Reds to one of the greatest triumphs in the club's 130-year history, clinching the League of Ireland Premier Division title, our first since 2006. On the final day we went to Derry, where a 1-0 win at the Brandywell secured the title in dramatic fashion, marking Shels return to the summit of Irish football. 'The club wishes Damien and his family every happiness and success in the future. His impact on Shelbourne FC was transformational. He will always be one of our own, and we are eternally grateful for the indelible mark he has left on our club. 'Joey O'Brien and the coaching staff will take charge for tomorrow's trip to the RSC to face Waterford and will prepare the team for Friday's away fixture against Galway United.' Duff's decision to step down was a shock, despite his scathing criticism of team following the defeat against Derry. 'I prepared for the game like I was a professional footballer,' said Duff on Friday night. 'My wife probably cursed me at times. Three-hour siesta, ate really well, focused my mind. I would like to really, really know how many of my players prepared like me or as well as me, which is damning. 'There was a severe lack of energy, real flatness, severe lack of quality and you are going to get nowhere. I don't accept that that's our third game in a week. Never have, never will until the day I die. If you are an amazing pro you bounce into the night. Even if you are a bit tired, a bit flat, drag yourself along, give yourself a talking to. 'That's where you have to be an amazing pro, an elite pro, a pro that belongs in the Champions League which are strange words for me to say at the minute. 'Did I smell it on Thursday? Of course! It (training) was awful. It all comes from within, your energy, your motivation, how good a professional you are. 'I don't mind saying it again, because it is absolutely true. It's my energy that has driven the players for four years. I've offered them the dressing room for them to lead this show, this steam train. They've never really done it. Again, tonight, it's me shouting and screaming. Joe (O'Brien – assistant) shouting and screaming. We had a real energy because we were highly motivated men, prepared well and I didn't feel that spark, that energy off the players. 'You're all probably saying 'here he goes again'. I'm trying to drag the team, trying to wake them up, but they never woke up. 'For three years, we've been an incredibly motivated team. If you had a bad night it was a given that you get a reaction. As I told the lads upstairs, I don't know (if there will be one in Waterford on Monday). You never know with us anymore, which is damning. It's damning on me because I'm the manager. 'To become champions again, you have to be hungrier than last year, you have to work harder than last year, and again if you ask that question to our guys, I'm not sure how many would say yes, I smelled these type of issues in pre season. 'I thought I would come back and the dressing room would drive itself, because there's big characters, there's champions in there. It didn't. It's not driven by the players. It's driven by me. And like I said to Darren (Cleary – press officer), you can grab every player down here now and ask the same question: 'Is it Duffer that drives everything?' 'It is, and it gets tiring, but most importantly, it gets frustrating. Yeah, I'm there to help and coach and pick the best teams. I don't think it's the manager that should drive a dressing room that still is.'
Sunday World
an hour ago
- Sunday World
Ellen Keane reaches new heights in quest to put accessible fashion on the map
Championing Penneys' new adaptive clothing line, Irish Paralympic swimmer Ellen Keane says it's a full circle moment for her. Flourishing a baby pink lace bra with delight, Ellen Keane never imagined a day that lingerie would elicit such joy. 'When I was a kid, the scariest thing for me was the thought of wearing a bra, because I was like, 'how am I going to put that on with one hand?'' says the Irish Paralympic champion candidly, before sinking into a plush cream sofa at Penneys HQ. It's a memory that lingers for the celebrated athlete, whose glittering swimming career began in Beijing in 2008 — when she was just 13 – Ireland's youngest ever athlete. 'The only reason I learned was from seeing people at the pool with one arm do it. They'd close it at the front and then turn it around,' she explains. Her face lights up as she recalls the launch of Penneys' magnetic front-closing bras — part of the brand's new adaptive range which features over 40 affordable, stylish wardrobe staples, thoughtfully adapted to meet a variety of needs. 'It's so clever and so simple. It just means teenagers don't have to worry about that now — and adults don't have to worry either. Which is huge.' Ellen with dance partner Stephen Vincent on DWTS It's a full-circle moment for the 30-year-old Dubliner, who was born with dysmelia, a condition where her left arm did not fully develop below the elbow. 'It can get quite emotional and overwhelming when you see moments like this,' she says. 'Because I never thought I'd see this happen. Which is quite sad. But finally people are now actually starting to recognise that people with disabilities deserve more.' She grins. 'It's kind of like a proud parent moment for me — the fact that you can say 'Thanks hun, Penneys,' while wearing the adaptive wear range.' Wearing denim jeans with side splits for accessibility and a white t-shirt with popper fastenings and tube access openings, Ellen is fresh faced and impossibly put together. Knowing her story strikes a chord — especially with younger girls with disabilities, the sports star is determined to impact real change now. Adaptive Drawstring Joggers, €18; Adaptive zipped sweatshirt €22 Penneys News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd 'I would've been sent pictures of little girls with one arm who were posing by the side of the Penneys posters, and it was so sweet. But it shouldn't be — it should just be so normal that it isn't a big deal.' That change in attitude can't come soon enough. Penneys recently launched the findings of its Pulse of the Nation Index, conducted by Amárach Research. The report revealed that 40 per cent of the Irish public believe disabled people are treated unfairly, highlighting a significant knowledge gap in how society understands the challenges disabled people face daily. For Ellen, this lack of awareness underscores why visibility and representation matter. Still, the role model status can weigh heavily. 'It's so tiring,' she admits with a sigh. 'And it's probably even more tiring when it's other people with disabilities reaching out to you, desperate for advice. Because you want to help them, but all I know is my disability.' Ellen in action at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris It's one of the reasons she wrote her biography, Perfectly Imperfect. But her advocacy isn't just about practical solutions — it's about honesty, humour, and showing up as she is. 'I love being someone that young people can look up to — but I'm also, at the same time, quite shy about it. And then I can get quite angry. Why is it always me? Why can't anyone else do it?' Thankfully, she sees the next generation demanding more. 'Irish kids are so open to diversity. They recognise what's right or wrong and are more willing to learn and ask for more.' Even during her competitive years, she saw a shift in perception. 'When I started swimming, no one really cared about my achievements. But the longer I stayed in the sport and the more it grew, able-bodied kids were just seeing me as Ellen, the swimmer. Not Ellen, the Paralympic swimmer.' That desire to be seen beyond her disability was also why she said yes to Dancing with the Stars. 'I am not just Ellen, the one-armed girl,' she says with a smile. 'That's why I did Dancing with the Stars. I wanted to show people I was just Ellen.' The star who took on 'Death Road' whilst filming Uncharted with Ray Goggins now wants to open up conversations that often go unspoken — especially around sexuality, relationships and attraction. 'Disabled people have sex. Oh my God. Who would've thought?' she says, grinning. 'And that's the thing about the lingerie range with Penneys — the lingerie is really sexy.' That desire for openness extended to dating too. 'I tried online for a little bit,' says the social media personality, who is now happily loved up with her boyfriend of two years, Max Doyle. 'But there was the weird sick fantasy thing as well — 'Oh my God, you're so inspirational.' And you're like... I'm on a dating app to meet someone, not to inspire you.' She sighs. 'It's the fear of rejection. It's the fear of being judged for something you can't change.' 'When you have a disability, it's almost like you have to come out of the disabled closet. You have to own it. You have to be proud of it. You have to love yourself more than you care about the opinion of other people. That's a lot to ask.' While diversity is increasingly celebrated, she notes that disability often still lags behind. 'People are so quick to celebrate Pride — which is amazing — but we don't see the same for disabled people. We don't see disabled love on screens. And even if there is a disabled character, they're either the villain or in the background.' The Clontarf native retired from competitive swimming last year, and admits she's still adjusting to life outside the pool. 'It's so funny,' she says. 'When I came home from travelling, my February was so quiet. It was kind of the first time I really noticed — oh, I'm retired now.' 'There were moments where you have to grieve a part of you. Because it is who you are. It's what you've done every day. But I knew I needed to retire. I knew my identity was more than swimming.' Ellen winning the gold medal in Tokyo at the 2020 Paralympic Games She pauses. 'I did struggle with how to make decisions, because I've had people making decisions for me my whole life.' That structure had been in place since childhood. 'I joined the senior team when I was 11. I got drug tested for the first time at 10. I lived with not questioning what I put into my body for 20 years.' After retirement, that discipline disappeared overnight. 'I struggled a lot with finding purpose in my day. I didn't have anywhere to be. I didn't have anything to do.' Food, once strictly fuel, became confusing. 'My whole life, I was eating to fuel my sport. I wasn't doing sport anymore, so I just didn't eat. I didn't know how to.' That's when she leaned on the psychological supports offered through Sport Ireland. 'My clinical psych was saying that as much as she wants to help me, she can't. The only thing she could tell me was: eat three meals a day, try to exercise, and do something I enjoy every day.' 'Because she's like, 'if I tell you what to do, then I'm just being one of those people telling you what to do.'' 'It was an adjustment phase — thankfully I've come out the other side.' Now, post-30, she's finding her own rhythm. 'I went to Disneyland with my boyfriend. I didn't want a big party. Especially when you're an athlete involved in sport, you get so much support all the time that sometimes you're like... I just want it to be quiet.' These days, it's the mic — not the pool — where Ellen feels most at ease. Hoping for a career in sports broadcasting, Ellen explains: 'I'm so comfortable in front of the camera and the mic. It's a weird thing — in radio studios, there's silence, but it's quite similar to being in water. So I always just feel really comfortable in those studios.' And when it's live? Even better. 'Pre-records are the worst. It gives you room to make a mistake. I like live. Red light's on. I'm ready to go.'
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
England football ace accused of cheating with Love Island star Megan Moore – so buys partner £40k Audi to say sorry
AN ENGLAND footie ace bought his fuming partner a £40,000 Audi to say sorry after he was accused of cheating with Love Island's Megan Moore. Pals say the star hooked up with 3 Love Island beauty Megan Moore Credit: ITV 3 An England footie ace bought his fuming partner a £40,000 Audi to say sorry after he was accused of cheating with Meg Credit: Getty 3 A source said: 'Megan is not aware of the fireworks going off back home' Credit: Instagram They were seen downing shots and getting 'increasingly tactile' earlier this month, while his girlfriend was at home. His devastated partner was told of his actions by friends — after Meg had already flown to But the cheated woman was cheered up after the grovelling Premier League star bought her a new motor 'straight off the garage forecourt' as an 'apology gift'. The Wag and her pals have been watching Love Island and voting against Read More on Sport A source said: 'The footie ace and Megan have known each other since they were teenagers. 'At the start of June, days before Meg left for Love Island, they were out with mutual friends and met in a pub. 'Megan and him had a few drinks together and started doing shots. 'They were side-by-side all night. Most read in Football 'Everyone went out into town, but the two of them veered off from the group and went back to Meg's place. 'They spent the night together. Watch the awkward moment Love Island's Dejon is HIT in the face by Meg after romantic recoupling speech 'The player left the next day — but his partner's friends found out and told her everything. 'Megan is not aware of the fireworks going off back home. 'She's in for a rude awakening when she eventually leaves the villa. 'It might be safer for her in Spain.' The footballer's partner is an online influencer who is seen at matches supporting him. The couple, who we are not naming, have been together for more than a year. Our source said: 'They are still together. 'He pays for everything, but she feels worthless after he hooked up with a Love Island beauty.'
