SO MUCH TALENT!
A WHOPPING 32 acts have got through to this year’s Wexford Has Talent semi-finals.
The auditions took place in Clayton Whites Hotel on Sunday and saw the largest ever turn out of people hoping to wow the judges and win a coveted semi-final place.
A wide variety of performance was showcased with skills ranging from many genres of dance, a variety of singer-songwriter performances, full band performances, recitation, gymnastics, kickboxing and martial arts and lots more from performers young and not so young. The panel of judges included Ian Grey, Pat Lawlor, Anita Cullen and Sophie Wilson.
One of the organiser’s Kilian Duignan said: ‘We would like to thank everyone who came along and took part in our audition day, the judges had some very difficult decisions to make and we would like to wish all of the qualifiers and wish them the very best of luck for their semi-final performances.’
The successful semi-finalists are 13-year-old singer Eabha Carty from Wexford town, cousins and singing duo Caoimhe and Will Troy from Tomhaggard, Leah Jordan, singer and pianist Niamh Murphy from Killinick, singer Aoife Codd from Tagh- mon, Michaela O’Hara, Enniscorthy-based singer Sinéad Doyle, singer Aoife Goodison from Wexford town, sean nós dancer and musician from Courtmacuddy Shauna Redmond, singer Marby Arriola from Kildare, 13-year-old singer from Wexford town Emma O’Leary, dancers from the Wexford School of Ballet Alex Saunders and Abbey Ormonde, dance group Imperium from the Next Level Dance School; Ciara Furlong, Katie O’Connor, Anna Jeffares, Ella Grunt, Michelle Cullen and Annie Kelly all from the Sullivan Academy of Dance in Wexford town; kung-fu artist Nathan Casserly, age 12, from Wexford town; 15-year-old singer Michaela O’Mahony from Castlebridge; singer Hayley Crosbie from New Ross; rap artist Nick Leo Ziemelis, age 15, from Wexford town; 16-year-old singer from Ballywilliam Caoimhe Boyle; singer and songwriter from Courtown John Winters; 13-year-old singer from Dublin Gwenaelle Noval; 15-year-old singer and songwriter Rachel Grace from Wexford town; members of the band ‘Ascension’ from Enniscorthy and Wexford town Leon Dummigan, Lauren Doyle, Tessa Crosbie, Rian Carthy, Emily Dempsey and Patrick Hadrys; 17-year-old singer from St Mullins Jack Gladney; 15-yearold singer and songwriter Luck Spellacy Shaw from Wexford Town; singer from Wellingtonbridge Deirdre Waters; Bunclody-based singer Anya Furlong; 11-year old gymnast from Killinick Caitlin Finnegan; 16-year-old singer and songwriter Victoria Fleming from Gorey; 12-year-old aerial hoop performer from Lioness Aerial Fitness Lauryn Barry; singer and songwriter from Wexford town Nicole Galvin; along with musical duo and father and daughter Aidan and Amy Murphy from Screen.
Tickets to the semi-finals which take place on January 20 and 21 are now on sale at €10 each at Clayton Whites Hotel. All live shows commence at 8 p.m.
The successful semi-finalists then go through to the Wexford Has Talent grand final, which takes place on Saturday, February 24, at Clayton Whites Hotel.
The competition winner is set to walk away with a €2,000 prize. Two additional prizes of €500 will be awarded to runners-up.
Wexford Has Talent is sponsored by the Wexford People. For more information visit wexfordhastalent.com.