New British Prime Minister plays five-a-side in an Irish jersey

Keir Starmer playing football with a Donegal training top he got back in 2007

placeholder image — Keir Starmer playing football with a Donegal training top he got back in 2007

Keir Starmer later revealed that the top was bought whilst he was on honeymoon in Ireland in 2007

While the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s been on his first visit to Ireland today, Donegal is a place he has close to his heart.

Starmer entered Downing Street as Labour's first prime minister in 14 years after a landslide victory at the general election and has met Stormont First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

Before Euro 2020, which was played 12 months later due to the pandemic, Starmer posted a photo on what was then called Twitter, saying: "Finally back in training! Still got a few months before Gareth Southgate announces the squad for the Euros..."

The photo showed Starmer wearing a Donegal training top. He later revealed that the top he was pictured in was bought whilst on honeymoon with his then-new wife Victoria in Ireland back in 2007.

A regular interviewer of Starmer from a previous role as a human rights adviser to the PSNI, is Enda McClafferty, the political editor of BBC Northern Ireland who is originally from Downings and now lives in St Johnston.

"Mr Starmer told me he loves Donegal and when he worked in Northern Ireland, he used to spend weekends in Donegal with his wife.

"I’ve interviewed him several times and most recently at Grianian Fort in Burt where we stood sheltering from the rain and had a long chat about his love for Donegal."