Johnny and Maire McAlister have vowed never to leave their son, Pat, behind again after they forgot to take him Christmas shopping in Bundoran yesterday. It has since emerged that Pat (8) managed to turn away over 20 GAA clubs selling tickets through ingenious methods including giving them the middle finger through the curtain as they approached.

Despite being the only child, Johnny and Marie admitted they were caught up in the excitement of heading to Donegal and forgot to take Pat. It was only when they hit Lifford that they realised they’d left Pat behind, but went on shopping anyway as they’d gone that far.

“Aye it was a bit of a handling. We thought about turning back but we’d already booked a dinner in Ballybofey so there was no point in heading back. Looking back, we probably shouldn’t have stayed overnight. But fair play to Pat. He turned away ticket sellers from Ballinderry, Swatragh, Ballinascreen, Derrytresk and Killyman. He became a man overnight. But it was a stupid mistake, like.”

Pat McAllister claimed that although he’d fallen out with his mother the previous night over an argument about eels, he didn’t really like being left alone for 24 hours but enjoyed giving the Swatragh ones the fingers and telling them to shove their tickets.

The BBC are keen to make a documentary on the ordeal, called ‘Away Together’.