The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
TALENTED BUNCH!
Following an appearance at Electric Picnic, the students from St Brendan’s College are on the crest of a wave with news that they have been invited to England to take part in the auditions for Britain’s Got Talent. In all, 23 students will travel and pictured are members of the St Brendan’s Music Ensemble Jonathon O’Keeffe, Peter O’Sullivan and Chris Carey. Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin
TWENTY-THREE students from St Brendan’s College are riding on the crest of a wave after they received the news that they are being invited to England to take part in the auditions for Britain’s Got Talent (BGT).
Speaking to The Kerryman on Tuesday, teacher Niamh O’Connell said that it has been a whirlwind experience for staff and pupils since producers on the show first noticed the Killarney’s school talents online.
Producers had been made to sit up and take notice after videos of the boys from the school performing at Electric Picnic garnered thousands of views online.
They were invited to take part in the local BGT auditions in Killarney two weeks ago and have since been asked to send over a video of a more modern contemporary performance.
All of this comes with St Brendan’s in the middle of the Christmas exam season in the school.
“The group ranges from first year to sixth year and the 13-year-old in the group is holding his own as much as the 18-year-olds. We’re not on telly yet, so we don’t want to count our chickens before they’ve hatched. We are only taking baby steps so far,” said Niamh.
“It’s just a great achievement to get this far. It’s been tough on all of the boys. They have had so much going on. I must say that their level of commitment has been amazing.
“They are going in after school, they are coming in on Saturdays and Sundays. We really couldn’t ask any more of them,” she added.
Niamh said that they have no word yet on when they will be asked to fly over to England for the auditions, but they will be as ready as they can be when the call does come.