Uncloaked: Family of star Limerick hurler at heart of Traitors twist

LOCAL viewers of the new reality series The Traitors Ireland didn’t expect the first episode to come with such a dramatic twist but they were shocked when it was revealed that two contestants were not just strangers, but a Limerick father and son.

Paudie and Andrew Moloney who are already turning out to be stars of the much-hyped programme hail from Kilmallock.

Paudie, 68, is a retired prison officer while his son Andrew, 33, is a civil servant.

Paudie is the grandfather while Andrew is the uncle of star Limerick and Kilmallock hurler Shane O’Brien.

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Shane’s mum is Andrew’s sister Edwina who is married to Adrian O’Brien, a performance coach and athletic development specialist who has been involved in several club and county set-ups including the Limerick senior hurlers.

Neither Paudie or Andrew knew beforehand that either were going to be on the show.

"When I saw you first I was totally shell-shocked!" Andrew told his dad when they had a moment alone together at Slane Castle.

"The first thing I was going to do was look down the line to see who was there," Andrew recalled. "I look over and I see... my dad. I actually did a double-take. Almost had to verify it was him when I saw him."

They let on not to to know each other when mingling inside the castle with Andrew asking his father what his name is. 

With a knowing smile, Paudie offered an explanation as to why they didn’t know either was appearing on the show: "The reason both of us didn’t know we were here is because we’re both big liars! We just didn’t tell each other."

Andrew had also been telling everyone he was from Cork. He wasn’t. He is from Kilmallock, County Limerick. He just lived in Cork. Andrew explained that he and his wife are looking to buy a house.

He also said he wants to experience all of the game, "the banishment, the murders, the round tables."

Paudie was optimistic: "I think we might get away with it."

Andrew admitted that "I was so excited to see him, I didn’t think 'Are you a faithful or a traitor?’"

He was in for a major surprise.

Later in the programme Paudie was unveiled as one of the traitors after getting the traitor tap on shoulder from host and star of Derry Girls, Siobhán McSweeney. She spoke to all the contestants individually before picking her traitors. Most of them wanted the money for the same thing- a house deposit. 

Meanwhile, Andrew had to dump two of his fellow players, which meant that artist Gemma and firefighter John were sent packing before even stepping foot inside Slane Castle.

During one of the tasks, wheeling barrels for money, Paudie revealed he has had two hips replaced so running wouldn't be his things.

The secret Traitors have to deceive, manipulate and eliminate their rivals in the battle for up to €50,000. They have to secretly murder their fellow players, eliminating them from the competition. The rest are Faithfuls- and they must work together to expose the saboteurs before it is too late.

The Traitors Ireland continues every Sunday at 9:30pm, Monday and Tuesday at 9:35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, followed directly by The Traitors Ireland: Uncloaked which is filmed in Limerick.