Exclusive: we reveal the 31 Wexford Has Talent semi-finalists

WEXFORD definitely HAS talent!

That’s the view of judges and organisers following Sunday’s Wexford Has Talent 2020 auditions at Clayton White’s Hotel.

No fewer than 31 acts will compete in the semi-finals of the hugely popular Wexford People-sponsored competition, all hoping to win the top prize of €2,000 cash, or one of three additional runner-up prizes.

Among the qualifiers is singer Gwenaelle Noval from Kildare who goes straight through to the final as this year’s ‘Golden Ticket’ winner.

More than eighty acts auditioned on Sunday before a panel of judges that included Catherine ‘Biddy’ Walsh, Eric Hayes and Edel Quinlan

A wide variety of performance was showcased, with skills ranging from many genres of contemporary dance, ballet, hip hop, Irish dance, a variety of singer-songwriters, full-band performances, recitation, gymnastics, juggling and martial arts.

Wexford Has Talent organisers were bowled over by the response. ‘We would like to offer our congratulations to all of the auditionees this year. The talent was incredibly impressive and we know the judges had a very difficult task,’ said Enda Whelan. ‘Every year Wexford Has Talent aims to nurture and celebrate the rising stars of the region and we are delighted to help showcase what is set to be two hugely entertaining semi-final shows.’

Judge Eric Hayes was also impressed by the talent on display. ‘ The competition standard this year has been at such a high level. We have had some tough deliberating today and everyone who took part in the auditions should be very proud of themselves. We would like to thank everyone who came along to perform and wish the successful acts the very best of luck for the next stage of the competition.’

The semi-finals will take place on February 1 and 2 at Clayton Whites Hotel, with both the live shows starting at 7.30 p.m. sharp. All 30 semi-finalists will hope for a place in the grand final of the competition at the same venue on Saturday, February 29. Tickets for the semis are expected to be in high demand. They are now available, at €10 each, from Clayton Whites Hotel.

Two winners will be selected in each of two categories: Variety and Solo Singer and from these the overall winner will be named. The winner will receive a cool €2,000 in cash, with the other three each collecting €500 cash.

The Variety category semi finalists include The Sheila Grace Dance Academy, the Presentation School Choir, 17-year-old dancer Corey Lacey from Barntown, BMC Dance Group from Gorey, Fleming School of Irish Dance from Gorey, The four-piece band The Quarrymen from Enniscorthy including Michael Davitt (19), Cameron Allan (16), Liam Ascott (18) and William Dunne (19), Irish dancer Ciara Furlong age 15 from Wexford town, the Sullivan School of Dance from Murrintown and Castlebridge including dancers Anna Jeffares, Ella Grant, Annie Kelly, Hollie Audsley, Katie Audsley, Katie O’Connor, Lilli Mai Harrisson, Lilly Mai Garry and Aoide Hore. The Gymnastics dance group AcroCATS featuring Cathy Quigley and Angelica and Tabitha McGee, 18-year-old dancer Alex Saunders, trad group from Bannow Tulua featuring Cian O’Grady, Caoimhe Moran, Kayleigh Moran and Diarmuid Murphy, 12-year-old Harpist Una Walsh from Barntown,

Synergy dance group from Gorey including Megan Dunbar, Tiernan Jackson O’Toole, Emma Stacey, Caitlin Keane, Elizabeth Gahan, Emma Cooke, Isobel Levingstone and Rachel Augustt and Enniscorthy based band Trade Mark.

In the Solo Singer category, the semi-finalists are: 15-year-old Ciara Doherty from Wexford town, 10-year-old Sarah Deevy from Tagoat, 17-year-old Jenny Murphy from Enniscorthy, 15-year-old Lili O’Brien Dobbs from Castlebridge, 16-year-old Caoimhe McLoughlin from Foulksmills, 17-year-old Josh Hayes from Wexford town, 11-year-old Eabha Keane from Murrintown, 11-year-old Jodie Tectar from Enniscorthy, 15-year-old Ciara Smith from Adamstown, 13-year-old Leah Gammell from Gorey, Luke Hayes from Wexford town, 17-year-old Katie Louise Murray from Gorey, Steven Hamilton from Wexford town, singer Sinead Doyle from Enniscorthy, 18-year-old Jack Gladney from St Mullins and 14-year-old Evan Roche from Taghmon.

Wexford Has Talent has taken place in Wexford town annually since 2015 and is sponsored by the Wexford People. Previous winners include Fit for Kings, Tara Doyle Robinson, 7th Fret, Rachel Grace Music and Luke Spellacy Shaw who have gone on to perform across the country, release albums and films and who have appeared on stage at some of the biggest music festivals in Ireland.

TULUA ‘Tulua’, a traditional Irish fusion band from Bannow, includes sisters Caoimhe and Kayleigh Moran, Diarmuid Murphy and Cian O’Grady. They have been playing music with each other in the local school of music for about 8 years, playing in the fleadh and the locality, and they came together as a group last summer. In the band, they have eight instruments and a voice: harp, concertina, flute, low whistle, fiddle, banjo, guitar, and cajon. They have played a few gigs and festivals together, playing Irish trad music with a contemporary twist, with traditional and modern songs.

JOSH HAYES Josh Hayes is a singer aged 17 from Wexford Town. Josh loves to perform as much as possible and sang ‘All I Want’ by Kodaline at Wexford Has Talent auditions.

LILI O’BRIEN DOBBS Lili O’Brien Dobbs is 15 years of age and is from Castlebridge Wexford. She loves singing and drama and attends classes in Corish Wallace Performing Arts. In July 2019 she competed in Teenstars Ireland and was an All -Ireland finalist. Her ambition is to become a hugely successful famous singer.

CIARA SMITH Ciara is aged 15 from Adamstown and at the Wexford Has Talent auditions she performed ‘Reflection’ by Christina Aguilera. Ciara Smith loves to sing. She has been practising and performing for a number of years.