Courting Controversy: An Interview with One of Ireland's Most Infamous Escorts

Who is the woman behind the viral GAA sex scandal video? 'Fifi' bares all in this exclusive Uncommon Journalism interview.

THE WOMAN OF THE HOUR: 'Fifi' became an overnight sensation when footage of her performing a raunchy act at a Gaelic Athletics Association celebration went viral. In an exclusive interview with Uncommon Journalism, she tells a different story than what many publications in Ireland have reported - and admits that the Ballyragget incident was her first time engaging in prostitution.

By: Geraldine Comiskey
GeraldineComiskey@gmail.com
@GerComiskey

She shocked a whole nation and gained international notoriety with her raunchy antics at a party with sporting champions in a rural Irish village.

The naked blonde known only as “Fifi” was seen dipping her massive breasts into their trophy – and performing a sex act on a semi-naked young man – at an after-hours party in a local pub in late October.

The footage, which went viral, showed male members of Ballyragget-based St. Patrick's Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA) celebrating their team’s victory over neighboring village Graigue Ballycallan. Both villages are in the rural heartland of County Kilkenny where the sport of “hurling” is the main sporting activity. For many residents, the local team's' victory in the Kilkenny Intermediate Hurling Championship was the most exciting thing that had happened in the area – until Fifi and another naked blonde woman showed up.

A police investigation was launched after Fifi told journalists she was paid €400 for sex . The local sporting organization, Kilkenny GAA County Board, is also holding a separate inquiry into the matter.

Even the local Catholic clergy got involved, with parish priest Father Tom Murphy denouncing the debauchery from the pulpit at mass the Sunday following the incident – he also suggested that the young men might want to go to confession after their night of sin.

Now Fifi reveals more about her life in an exclusive Uncommon Journalism interview.

She had previously told reporters that she was an Italian accountant from Naples who had taken up stripping because it paid better than her old career – and was more fun.

But Fifi (who still refuses to reveal her real name) painted a picture of a rather less carefree life - and she claimed that the Ballyragget party gave her her first taste of prostitution.

Fifi laughed when she was reminded of the event, which she said was not her first. She added that she had been very busy with clients since then but wouldn’t reveal details.

However, speaking in Italian – which she admitted was not her native language – Fifi told a very different story to the one she had told reporters interviewing her in English. “I know a little Italian”, she said. “If you speak softly-softly, I can understand.”

In response to questions in Italian, she said she had grown up in Romania and spent a lot of her life in Germany. Her only connection with Italy was that she believed her father came from Naples.

When asked what she had done for a living before taking up stripping and prostitution, Fifi said she had worked in various jobs in “offices and restaurants” in Germany – she didn’t mention accountancy this time.

“Some of my friends invited me to come to Ireland. I came to Ireland two years ago. I came because I was offered work as a babysitter. In Dublin, yes. It was not well paid. I was paid little – little! I had to do everything in the house for little.”

She soon switched to a more lucrative career: stripping at lads’ parties such as the one in Ballyragget. "Some of my friends suggested it [stripping]. It was fun and I got paid.”

Her page on the Escort Ireland website describes her as “naughty and hot,” aged 33, five-foot-seven with a natural 40E bust and a shaved pubic area.

But Fifi says her introduction to prostitution happened at the Ballyragget party, which locals claim was a 21st birthday party which just happened to coincide with the victory celebrations.

Fifi says she never dreamed that she would be performing a sex act on a young man in front of his friends that night. It had all started innocently enough when she and her friend were hired to strip, and Fifi gamely agreed to dip her massive boobs in the championship cup.

Asked how she felt, stripping off while surrounded by a large number of young drunk men, she said “there were 20, 25 lads – they were nice. It was all fine.” 

And as to how she felt about being a prostitute as opposed to a stripper? “It’s not bad,” she said.

Asked if she thought the fee of €400 (which she claimed she was paid) was very little for stripping, let alone providing sexual services, she said "yes, it was little, but it became something more! It started with me stripping. They took photos."

"After a short time, it became something much bigger!” she laughed.

While her Escort Ireland profile lists a wide range of sex acts including oral sex without a condom, she strongly denied that she performs without a condom. “No! Never without a condom. There are many girls – thousands of escorts – who do that. I don’t do it. No! Never!”

However, she admitted she was worried about her health if she continues to work as a prostitute. “Yes, it does worry me sometimes.”

She said she worked alone, for herself and with friends. She was based in an apartment in Kilkenny when she was hired to attend the Ballyragget party, but shortly after that she said she was moving to Cork. Her Escort Ireland page lists her current location as Mallow, County Cork – but as of Nov. 8, 2017, she said she was now living “near Athlone” and was planning to move to Belfast shortly.

She said she didn’t know if her parents, sister and brother back in Romania were aware of her Irish career. “My mama and papa – they wouldn’t be in agreement with [her current career].”

Had they seen the footage of the Ballyragget party? “I hope not.” But it was all over the papers and the internet. “They don’t read the papers," she said. "They don’t look at the internet.”

She said she had not been questioned by Gardai and didn’t expect to. “I have done nothing wrong.”

However, Fifi said she would gladly accept “normal work” - and would love a television presenting gig.

Unncommon Journalism, 2017