Ashbourne couple on Brennan's Grand Tour of South Africa

Francis Brennan takes 12 paying tourists on the surprise trip of a lifetime in 'Francis Brennan's Grand Tour', starting on RTE on Sunday night, for six weeks, including Collette and Barry McDonough from Ashbourne.

In Sunday night’s programme, Francis’s guests meet up at Dublin airport and their mystery destination is revealed – South Africa - and after a 19 hour flight he gets straight down to business taking them to on a tribal tour.
Hotelier Francis has organised a thirteen day epic tour starting in Johannesburg, where they visit Soweto, before heading south. In the Eastern Cape they experience a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience, followed by a drive down the world famous Garden Route (with a surprise bungee jump) ending up in beautiful Cape Town.
As always, there’s a mixed bunch of guests on the Grand Tour – with ages ranging from an 83 year old great grandmother to a 23 year old, with occupations from dog groomer to pest controller. Can Francis manage to keep this unlikely crew happy and on schedule?

After a 19-hour flight the group arrives at Lesedi Cultural village in Johannesburg. Rather than letting them rest  Francis immediately throws them into an African drumming lesson and tribal tour. The next day Francis takes them on a whistle stop tour of Johannesburg including the poignant Apartheid Museum before grabbing a bite at a restaurant that specialises in exotic meats. Crocodile anyone?
This year Francis’s guests are:
Collette (51) and Barry (59) McDonough from Ashbourne, experienced travellers, they have been to South Africa before but travelling around the country with Francis is still an eye-opener.
Patricia McGrath (64) and Patricia Brady (56), from Dublin, best friends who met on a bus. Meeting Francis at the airport, Patricia Mc says: “I’m breathless. I feel as if I’m going get married. You know when you’re expecting to get married and there’s a hunk in front of you and there’s my man. Thank you, God!”
Darren Delaney (26), from Douglas in Co Cork, who has a fear of dust and isn’t too enamoured with the crocodile the group get to taste in on their first night. “Well, I suppose it is something that you can say to the grandkids if I ever have them. I ate croc in Carnivore. In fact I won’t eat croc ever again, so at least that’s done now,” he tells the cameras.
Best friends Iveta Mangulsone (39) and Inga Sangovica (33), originally from Latvia, they have been living in Mullingar, Co Westmeath for more than 12 years.
Couple Craig Byrne (24) from Hartstown and Lucy Slaven (23) from Lucan. Lucy is well travelled but Craig has only been as far as Spain before.
83-year-old Frances O’Brien from Drombanna in Co Limerick, whose verve for life is inspirational to her fellow travelers.
Wexford native, but now living in Longford, Edel Casey (45) who describes the trip as one the “most amazing experiences” she has ever had.
Finbarr Goggin (57) from Bantry in Co Cork whose travel up to now has been limited to Ireland and the UK with one trip to Portugal being the furthest he has been.

Francis Brennan’s Grand Tour South Africa, Episode 1 of 6, RTÉ One, Sunday, July 22nd, at 8.30pm