When Ciaran McCarthy purchased Nexus wine bar in August 2004 having received the financial backing to the tune of £70,000 from Penny King, he opened his own restaurant McCarthy's in the premises. However it soon became evident that the business was in severe danger of sinking within a matter of a few weeks. During this time Ciaran was in a relationship with Tracy Barlow, who tried to talk him into cutting his losses and advised him to sell up, but he was determined to make a go of it in the interim. Credited as "Mr Walker", the character's Christian name was given in dialogue.