Irish Olympic champ Harrington wows Late Late viewers with rendition of Grace
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Irish Olympic champ Harrington wows Late Late viewers with rendition of Grace

IRISH Olympian Kellie Harrington wowed Late Late Show guests and viewers with a rendition of Grace on the show's St Patrick's Day special this week.

Harrington, who won gold in the Lightweight Boxing at Tokyo 2020, delivered a knockout performance for host Ryan Tubridy.

Having acted as Grand Marshal at Dublin's St Patrick's Day parade alongside Paralympian Ellen Keane, Harrington appeared on the Late Late with the parade's International Guest of Honour, John C. Reilly.

And after revealing to Tubridy that she had sung Grace to the actor earlier in the day, the host coaxed her into giving an impromptu encore performance.

Her singing was met with applause from the guests and audience as well as plaudits online.

Speaking to Tubridy about her role as Grand Marshal, Harrington revealed the parade route was longer than she realised.

"Being from the inner city, when you go into the parade, you go to O'Connell Street," said Harrington.

"Growing up as a kid, I never knew where the parade actually went.

"I just thought it went over O'Connell Bridge and then that's lights out, good night everybody.

"But next of all we're up on Dawson Street and we're going down by the Liberties!

"I’m like, 'oh my God, my cheeks are going to crack'.

"But it was just electric — really, really brilliant."

Step Brothers star Reilly also showed off his vocal talents, impressing with his versions of Raglan Road and The Wild Rover.

Telling Tubridy about his participation in the parade, Reilly said: "It was really a beautiful thing, a special thing.

"You realise what a great time [it is] to bring some joy into the world.

"We've all suffered through so much and a lot of people in the world are suffering now.

"But joy is an important part of human strength and I thought it was important to come here and bring people together a little bit."

Chicago native Reilly, the fifth of six children of Irish and Lithuanian descent, explained to Tubridy why it was so important for him to take part in the parade.

The actor revealed how his father would bring each of his children on trips to Ireland one by one, but passed away before making the journey with the Reilly.

Recalling his first trip to the country to promote 2008's Step Brothers, Reilly said: "You're going to think I'm being corny but I got down on the ground and I kissed the ground.

"I felt like the Pope coming over! But I wanted to really show what it meant to me."