EAST-WESTwith Chris Fingleton
THE 2011 Search For A Star youth talent competition got off to a terrific start recently with the first of the two local heats being staged in Parkview House, Shillelagh.
Patrons were treated to some top class performances by entrants from Baltinglass, Carnew, Bunclody, Coolkenno and Tullow. Twelve acts took to the stage and more than maintained the high standards that have come to be expected in the region’s top young talent competition.
Anticipation heightened at the next qualifying heat, when another 18 contestants performed in the hope of being selected by the judging panel to progress to the semi-final stages.
Those successful in qualifying will be joined in the semis by acts who have already secured their places in the penultimate round through associated competitions, already completed throughout counties Wicklow, Wexford, Carlow and Laois.
This year, also for the first time, saw the staging of a senior competition open to all acts over 18 years of age. This one-night-only event took place recently in Parkview House and welcomed an exciting and diverse line up of performers.
Disco bop raises funds for African township project
TULLOW Rugby Club’s fancy footwork managed to raise several hundred euro for a good cause recently.
The local club held a disco on Friday 28 October to raise money for the Niall Mellon Township Trust.
Ballon man Frank Feeney downed tools last Friday, only to pick them up in Capetown as part of the NMT Build Week.
Frank, along with more than 600 other volunteers, hope to build 160 houses during their one-week building blitz
And along with the help of friends and family, he managed to raise a substantial amount of money prior to his trip.
Frank would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who helped him, in particular Johnny Tobin, PJ Haskins and the team at Tullow RFC who organised the recent disco. The guys raised €260 from the night and presented a cheque to Frank last Tuesday at the Black Gates.
Tinahely Chernobyl group winds up after 20 years
IT’S the end of an era for Chernobyl Childcare Tinahely who, after 20 years, have decided to call it a day. The decision was not done without a lot of soul searching, but the committee accept that times change, families change and circumstances change.
The Tinahely group was originally founded in the early ’90s by Mary Byrne and Fr Brauders. Many children have come to Tinahely and the surrounding areas in counties Wicklow, Carlow, Wexford and Kilkenny since that time.
The group has also sent volunteer workers to Belarus, and between 2003 and ’07 they ran a summer camp in Belarus for the children who couldn’t leave the country.
Chernobyl Childcare Tinahely made one last gesture for the children in Belarus by handing over a cheque for €4,502.70 to Jim O’Brien, to be used for the president’s Chernobyl Children Fund in Belarus, helping with foster families and the running of their homes. They would like to thank everyone who helped with the children over the years and wish Jim every success as he continues his work in Belarus.