In the early days of his broadcasting career he borrowed a beautiful yellow sports car from Gerald Heffernan, who now runs Frontier Films. When Gerry was about to set off in it with his wife Morah he switched on the engine and drove straight into the wall outside their house.
He then calmly turned off the ignition and, ignoring Morah's pleas, walked zombie-like into the house, without a comment or pause to inspect the damage. Morah searched all over the house until she found him hiding under a bed where she spent some considerable time trying to coax him out to face the world!
Nor is G Ryan ever likely to represent Ireland in the DIY Olympics. During the early days of his marriage, he decided to build an impressive stereo unit to house the fabulous record collection he was building up. When eventually he had finished the task he called Morah in to inspect his proud effort which, on perfect cue, collapsed with a crash, dragging the entire wall down with it!
Despite his regular dealings with the well-being of mothers on his show, Gerry can occasionally suffer lapses of concentration over such matters. When Morah had delivered their first baby she was looking forward to the nice cup if tea and toast which the hospital traditionally gives the mother immediately after the delivery. Unfortunately, before Morah could get to the tea and the toast, Gerry had scoffed the lot, thinking it was meant for him!
But his shyness was probably most obvious when his family conspired to give him a surprise 30th birthday party. When Gerry arrived in the house he was greeted by a cheery mob of friends and relations to whom he just said, "Thank you all very much," and then took a glass of whiskey and hid for the rest of the night upstairs in his room!