Irish CNN reporter Donie O’Sullivan has admitted the support he received on social media this week made him feel “closer to home”.
The Kerry native was trending on Twitter on Wednesday night, after he won praise for his calm reporting amid chaos in Washington D.C.
Four people died and multiple people were injured after Trump supporters broke into the US Capitol on Wednesday, protesting Joe Biden’s election victory.
In extraordinary scenes, carnage erupted inside and outside the building, as both Houses of Congress met to debate objections to the election result, before Biden’s scheduled inauguration later this month.
In the midst of the madness, Donie shared live updates from outside the Capitol building, which won him a lot of fans on social media.
Somewhere in Ireland tonight an entire village is watching CNN and cheering on the reporting legend that is Donie O’Sullivan. pic.twitter.com/L2TirH5ZBB
— Will Collins (@WillumsFillum) January 6, 2021
Speaking on Friday’s Late Late Show, the journalist said he was “overwhelmed” by the support he’s received online.
“It’s just been unbelievable. I’ve been totally overwhelmed,” he said, before joking, “I think people have seen me probably on Harcourt Street not being so coherent and eloquent!”
Donie continued: “It’s been surreal. I mean, this was my first Christmas away from Ireland…”
The Cahersiveen native explained he spent the festive season with some Irish pals in the US, including Glamour magazine editor Samantha Barry.
“This experience this week has made me feel much closer to home for sure”
Everyone’s new favourite Kerryman @donie tells Ryan about his new-found twitter fame and how he went from Cahersiveen to @CNN.#LateLate pic.twitter.com/KnDVcc9nMq
— RTÉ One (@RTEOne) January 8, 2021
“We sort of had our COVID bubble so we had a Christmas together. It was a very different Christmas and I missed the gang at home,” he said.
“This experience this week has made me feel much closer to home for sure.”
Donie also admitted his parents have been “enjoying” his new found fame.
“A reporter from TG4 turned up at their door yesterday unannounced and they sort of rolled with it,” he laughed.
While the eyes of the world watched mayhem unfold in Washington last night, Kerryman @donie became a social media sensation in Ireland as he reported live from the scene for CNN | https://t.co/goIQuPz2zg pic.twitter.com/VOqa88B0Gq
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) January 7, 2021
“I’ve had a lot of questions from my colleagues here at CNN about what the hell my dad is saying. He has a very strong Kerry accent.”
“I told them that my mam Noreen, who was born and raised in Boston, doesn’t understand him half the time and that’s why they’ve had such a successful marriage,” he joked.