Keith and Lorraine's memorable meeting with Bill Murray

Hollywood actor Bill Murray has been spotted around Ireland recently, with two musicians from Athlone being among the lucky few to meet him last Saturday, August 21.

Keith and Lorraine McDonald, children of Frankie McDonald of showband fame, were performing outdoors at Mount Falcon Hotel in Ballina, Co Mayo, when they met Murray, who is in Ireland filming a golf documentary travel series called ‘The Links Life’.

“I really wanted to get a photo with him, but I didn’t want to bother him either so I just sat for a little while,” Lorraine said.

“After a while, I walked up to where he was sitting and asked if I could speak with him. He kind of stood back in a jokey ‘who are you?’ way.

“I told him my name and just chatted to him for a while. He commented on my brooch and asked if I thought they should sit outside. He was just really quirky.”

“After she asked for a picture, he responded: “Let’s see how your performance goes first”.

“I thought that was hilarious,” Lorraine laughed. “I went and did my 45-minute set and then on my way back up he was waiting for me which was unbelievable.

“He said that Baker Street was one of his favourite songs, and one that his family all love, which was the first song we played that night! We definitely captured him and his family straight away which is probably why he came back to talk to me.

“He thought I made ‘9 To 5’ by Dolly Parton my own, and he said he liked my interpretation of ‘Simply the Best’ by Tina Turner, and that he prefers when people don’t just copy a popular song.”

For the second half, Lorraine beckoned Bill up to the stage to sing with them, along with Bill’s son, nephew and brother.

“He was just improvising but he was clearly able to sing and is vocally strong. He stayed up for two or three songs after that.”

Lorraine said he was very playful and up for the craic, “exactly how he comes across in his films."

Bill then went up to his room after that because he had another day of golfing in Enniscrone on Sunday.

Keith said that Bill seemed to be really soaking up the atmosphere around Mayo, particularly after a video of the actor buying a raffle ticket for a signed Mayo jersey went viral online.

“When you look back on 'Saturday Night Live' or 'Groundhog Day' or 'Scrooged', the guy is just a phenomenal and successful actor.

“When you meet someone so well-known and popular, it’s lovely when they come across as a ‘real’ person. He really took the time to take photos with everyone who wanted one.”

'The Links Life' will be available on YouTube and streaming platforms.