SCHOOL STARS!

DANCERS TO SINGERS AND DRUMMERS TO MAGICIANS, THE FINAL WILL BE A CLASSIC

2018-02-13 - By HUBERT MURPHY

The 2018 School Stars have reached the final stage after a cracking three nights of heats last week at the TLT. Hundreds of local pupils took part in the competition and the final 24, including Charles Kirwan, pictured, are working towards impressing the judges for the final on February 20. Louis Walsh of X Factor will be the star judge on the night, and the prize fund is €5,000.

THEY came in all disciplines, from dance to comedy, magic acts to singers, rock stars included.

But the most rewarding aspect of this year’s Schools Stars series at the TLT was the event itself - providing young people of all ages with a chance to shine for one night on one of the best stages in the country.

The centre hosted ‘Ireland’s Got Talent’ in recent months and last week it was certainly a case of ‘ Drogheda’s Got Talent’ - in abundance!

From act to act, the level of performance was superb and selecting a top three at the finals night next week will be a tough task.

Murieann McDonnell (12) from Skerries is likely to be a contender, certainly given her CV. She represented Ireland at last year’s Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Tbilisi, Georgia and has supported Aslan and Mundy!

She sings, plays guitar and writes her own catchy songs.

Emma Farrell will be equally as determined to be a winner and she’s not the only one. Part of the annual panto in Drogheda, Emma is a wonderful performer.

Add in a bit of the One and Only Charles Kirwan, Orla McDermott, the Tullyallen choirs, Emily Conlon, Peter Connor, to name but a few and it’s a wide open contest.

The list of qualifiers aiming to impress Louis Walsh and the other judges at the final on February 20 at the TLT is:

Saoirse McCormack

Abby Balfe & Jayne Maher

Conor Haigh

Hannah Murphy

Peter Connor

Kate Carolan

Murieann McDonnell

Charles Kirwan

Superheroes

Clodagh Halpin

Callum Reilly