Final countdown for stars on Ireland’s Got Talent
By Aideen O'Flaherty
TALENTED entertainers from the county will be vying for a place in the Ireland’s Got Talent semi-final this weekend, with only two local acts being guaranteed a place in the semi-final after their storming performances prompted judges to press their golden buzzers.
Four other local acts garnered four yeses from the panel of judges during their performances but are now at the nail biting stage of the competition where they must wait and see if they’ve made it through to the semi-final, which will be decided by the judges when they whittle down the acts on the TV3 show this Saturday.
Evelyn Williams from Tallaght
The show’s panel of judges, which features Louis Walsh, Denise van Outen, Jason Byrne and Michelle Visage, each got one opportunity to press their golden buzzers during the series, which meant that the performer they chose would be put straight through to the semi-final.
Tallaght great-grandmother Evelyn Williams (82) caused a sensation with her performance of ‘Send in the Clowns’, which prompted Michelle Visage to press her golden buzzer, while young dancers from Tallaght’s Xquisite Dance Club are also through to the semi-final courtesy of Denise van Outen’s golden buzzer.
Speaking to The Echo shortly after her star turn on the show last month, Evelyn said: “It’s all been unbelievable.
It’s like a dream
“I can’t actually put it into words, there aren’t any words to explain how I feel, it’s like a dream.”
She added: “The media coverage has been tremendous and I’m really overwhelmed by it all, like one newspaper took pictures of me crocheting at home!
“We went to The Square on Sunday, the day after the show, and I was mobbed.
“People were stopping me to say congratulations and all the kids were looking for selfies and autographs, it was unbelievable…and I don’t know how to thank people for all of their support.”
Ballyfermot grandad Matt Dodd
Ballyfermot grandad Matt Dodd (68) wowed judges on the show and received a standing ovation and four yeses, while 72-year-old Tallaght man Philip Murphy – better known by his stage name Mr Reggae – got four yeses from the judges and a rapturous response from the audience, but both singers will have to wait and see if their popular performances were enough to get to the semi-final.
Ballyfermot grandad Matt Dodd
Philip told The Echo: “I had the four judges up dancing – I enjoyed myself.”
Tallaght drag performer and dance teacher Paul Ryder (30) won over the judges with his energetic performance and got four yeses from the judges, while two Tallaght schoolchildren from Empire Dance got praise from all of the judges for their contemporary dance performance.
Tallaght drag performer and dance teacher Paul Ryder
Now Matt Dodd, Philip Murphy, Paul Ryder, and Kyle and Syesha from Empire Dance will have to wait and see if their performances will be enough to get them through to the semi-final stage of the talent competition.
You can see how all of the acts get on by watching Ireland’s Got Talent this Saturday, March 17, at 7.30pm on TV3.
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