Tara is bookies’ favourite

Date Published: 12-Jan-2010

A GALWAY woman’s dream of recording an album came one step closer to reality at the weekend after she was voted through to the semi-final of one of the country’s biggest and most popular entertainment shows.

Tara Burke McDonnell, who lives in Knocknacarra, wowed the five judges on the All-Ireland Talent Show on RTÉ One on Sunday and was chosen as their top act of the evening.

The 24-year-old, who works in Townhouse bar in the city, also impressed viewers who voted her as their top act in their thousands of texts and phone calls.

Tara – daughter of Ann Burke of Carna, or Nan Tom Teamín as she is known, a renowned sean-nós singer and two times Corn Uí Ríoda winner – sang a beautiful sean-nós version of Will You Go Lassie, Go. Tara was praised by the judges who voted her the best act on the night and she also received the highest number of votes from the viewing public.

Following her powerful performance, Boylesports has installed Tara as the 10/3 favourite to win the show outright. She will sing again in the semi-final of the competition at the end of February.

Meanwhile, this weekend Connemara duo Emma O’Sullivan, Sean Nós dancer, and John O’Halloran, box player, will be hoping to wow the judges and qualify for the semi-finals when they represent the west this Sunday.

Emma O’Sullivan (24) from Renvyle, will this Sunday showcase her expertise in Sean Nós dancing in which she is the current All-Ireland Champion. Together with her musical partner, well-known Galway box-player John O’Halloran, Emma hopes to make it through to the next round of the competition with support of the people of Galway.

Emma, daughter of chef Tim O’Sullivan of Renvyle House Hotel and his wife Carmel, took up Sean Nós dancing just four years ago while a business and marketing student at GMIT.

Since then she has showcased Sean Nós dancing in the US, Europe and the Philippines. Last Hallowe’en she was crowned All-Ireland Sean Nós champion and now teaches the traditional dance full-time. She regularly performs at Renvyle House for guests and wedding parties.

A friend of the Mulkerrin Brothers who won last year’s competition, Emma hopes the exposure on the show will heighten the profile of Sean Nós dancing and bring it to a mainstream audience.

Emma will be accompanied by John O’Halloran, originally from Inisboffin and who is a well-known resident musician in Galway.

“We are asking the people of Galway and of Connacht to support us this Sunday by texting or phoning in their vote that will send us through to the next round of the competition. Please tune in to the show on Sunday evening at 6.30pm and give us your vote!” she said.