CALGARY -- With physical distancing measures in place across the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a former Calgary construction worker found an unusual way to return home to self-isolate in Ireland.

Conor McNally had been living in Calgary since 2018 and, with his visa set to expire, made the decision to fly back home as tickets for international flights were becoming scarce.

On March 20th, he departed Calgary to be with his family in his homeland.

"The writing was on the wall, so (I was) like I gotta get out of here," McNally told CTV News while in self-isolation in his hometown of Leitrim.

McNally says he received several offers from people willing to drive him from the airport in Dublin to Leitrim.

"My parents offered me a ride and I said I can’t really be in the car with you guys either because they’re in their mid to late 60s," added McNally. "My mum works with the elderly population almost daily and you wouldn’t know what underlying health conditions they might have."

After the flight to London and the subsequent connection to Dublin, McNally was greeted by his dad Martin who had brought a cattle trailer to transport his son the rest of the way home.

McNally documented parts of the nearly three hour journey on social media.

"Pretty straight road all the way from Dublin," said McNally of the trip.

The brief Snapchat video shows McNally recording his surroundings inside the trailer and dancing to the tune of Saturday Night by Whigfield.

"It was stuck in my head that day, I must’ve heard it in the airport or something," said McNally. "I sent the video around on Snapchat. From there, people got talking."

McNally was surprised to discover that his video had found a global audience.

"Picked up in the States, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, every corner of Ireland here. It's just crazy," laughed McNally.

McNally’s fellow countryman Ronan Donaghy — a Calgary resident —- hosts the From Me 2 Hugh podcast where he explores the difference in culture between Canada and Ireland. 

Donaghy says McNally's video is Irish humour at its best.

"First impression, it may be unorthodox," said Donaghy. "I don’t think you’d see any Canadians rolling around in the back of a cattle trailer through Calgary."

With so much uncertainty in the world, McNally hopes his video brings some joy to people.

"We keep an eye on our phones and (are) stuck indoors, and I suppose it was a funny story that can give people something to laugh about."