Dublin boy treated for rare illness presents Harris and Starmer with football shirts

By Rebecca Black, PA

A young Dublin boy treated for a rare illness in England has presented UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Taoiseach Simon Harris with football scarves and jerseys.

Freddie Munnelly, nine, from Castleknock, had Biliary Atresia when he was a baby and received treatment at King’s College Hospital.

He was at Farmleigh House on Saturday afternoon along with his sisters Poppy, 10, and Elizabeth, three, and their parents Karen and Alan.

Ms Munnelly said they had around nine visits over two years from when Freddie was just six weeks old.

“It’s an amazing hospital,” she said. “We’re still in with some of the team.”

Mr Starmer responded: “Kings is fantastic. We were saying, what a good example of collaboration.”

Mr Harris added: “And he’s doing so well now,” to which Ms Munnelly responded: “Yes, he is.”

Freddie went on to present Mr Starmer and Mr Harris with Irish and English football scarves to swap before the UEFA Nations League clash at the Aviva later.

Mr Starmer asked Freddie, who was to attend the match, what he thought the score would to, to which the boy replied: “1-1”, to laughter from the UK premier, who added: “Very diplomatic.”

The two leaders also swapped football jerseys.

Mr Starmer held up an Irish shirt with his surname on the back and laughed when asked if he would wear it to the match later.

Mr Harris quipped: “You may not wear it this evening,” to which Mr Starmer responded: “It will make an appearance in my nine-a-side. This will be proudly worn in north London before too long.”

Looking at his England shirt with “Harris” on the back, the Taoiseach joked: “I never thought my name would be on any jersey.”

Meanwhile, Mr Starmer said “absolutely not” to a shout of: “Can we have Declan Rice?”

He said: “No, absolutely not. He is fantastic.”

Arsenal and England star Rice represented Ireland at youth and senior levels, before switching allegiance to England in 2019.