How ping pong legend and Titanic is bringing China and Ireland closer

They're long stories that go well with a slow pint by the fire in a cosy pub.

The one about the Chinese table tennis player who Sean McAnaney brought over to Ireland 25 years ago who's still here, happily married.

Or Liu Na, born in Liao Ning, Northeast China, in 1983, who ended up playing for the UK at the London 2012 Olympics - again thanks to Sean.

They are stories decades in the making.

CGTN Europe caught up with McAnaney at the Loop Table Tennis Club Dublin based in La Salle school in Raheny, Dublin.

He's training kids and transmitting his passion for the sport with every slice, spin, and smash.

"Qiu," shout the kids every time they hit a winner - Chinese for 'ball' or nice shot.

"I've done a number of cultural exchange programs over the years," says McAnaney. 

"Both Irish kids going to China and Chinese kids coming to Ireland, and they have integrated very, very well over the years. And the friendships have continued for many years."

Table tennis, or ping pong, is one of the world's most-played sports with 300 million registered paddlers in China alone. But passion for the game crosses many borders as Ryan Li and Adam Hedderly prove. 

They both represent Ireland at underage level. "I'm just really happy to play for our country," says Ryan, who was born in Ireland, the second generation of a Chinese family who have made Dublin home.

"One day I would love to be the first Ireland Olympic medalist," he says as his mother proudly watches.

Adam Hedderly clearly has talent too, and also represents Ireland at national level. 

"I'd love to go to China to play with like all the really good professionals and train with the really good coaches," he says.

Ask them who their favorite players are and they both mention Ma Long, China's six-time Olympic champion. 

But Irish inspiration isn't hard to find either as two-time Irish national champion Sean McAnaney is putting on a clinic, coaching and teaching with all the intensity of a pro.

Titanic Irish dancing scene

Sport isn't the only universal language Sean has used to build bridges between the two nations. Music and dance are two others - remember the Irish dancing scene in the Titanic movie?

The Titanic was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and the last stop it ever made was at Cobh Harbour in Cork in the south.

Ireland and the Titanic's story are closely intertwined and the story inspired 'Titanicdance' - a show that tells the story co-created by McAnaney. 

He has toured China with Titanicdance and plans to do so again.

He added: "Lots of people aren't aware how the Titanic was actually built in Ireland. So that in itself was a storytelling matter for us to educate the public about the whole historical background to Titanic and the strong connections it has with Ireland.

"Music, song and dance relates to China. Storytelling in China is also very, very important as is music and dance. I think from a cultural and an arts point of view, I think there's a big communication between Ireland and China." 

McAnaney has been helping get China and Ireland in step for decades, bringing two cultures together from playing on tables to dancing on them.