'Defender' too much for hotel to handle
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CIAN Healy is a force to be reckoned with on the rugby pitch, and it appears he wants a vehicle to match on the roads.
The Ireland prop has recently acquired a customised Land Rover Defender, complete with the number 1 -- his team number -- engrained into the leather seating.
But when he drove the grey-coloured vehicle to the Shelbourne Hotel where the Irish team are staying, they couldn't fit it into the hotel's car park because of its height.
Shelbourne Hotel duty manager Gary Hurley said the vehicle was safely secured at the rear of the hotel in the area known as the receiving lane, under 24-hour security.
And he claimed it was common that the hotel would have to store vehicles that could not fit under its 1.9-metre-high car park entrance just off Kildare Street.
"We have had some issues with higher vehicles not being able to get in," Mr Hurley said. "If somebody is checking in with a van or a very large jeep such as in this case, then we will put it in the receiving lane."
It is understood the all-terrain vehicle was bought from HB Dennis in Dublin's Airside for about €40,000.
As well as togging out for Ireland, Mr Healy also works as a DJ, calling himself DJ Church. He has performed at the Dance Arena in Oxegen.
- Colm Kelpie
Irish Independent
