Birr woman in last eight of All-Ireland Talent Show

Birr woman Bernadette Spain is set to appear on RTÉ's All-Ireland Talent Show next Sunday, January 9 at 6.30pm. Ber from No. 6 Westgate, is daughter of well-known GAA stalwart Mick Spain and mother to Mark (7). She works in the army as a Physical Training Instructor and is based in Athlone. She previously worked in the army equitation school and the Irish Air Corps but returned to Athlone some years ago to be closer to her home town of Birr. Ber's talent is for singing and likes singing ballads and old time classics. “I've been singing as long as I can remember, there was no particular time I started, I just always sang. Growing up one could not describe us as a musical family, sports and in particular hurling was the order of the day. On the odd occasion though, both at home and at my grandfather's house near Killyon a few musicians would gather and a good old session would be had. Dad was also into the set dancing and participate in the GAA SCOR competitions. Practice was held in the kitchen with the kitchen table moved out into the back yard to make room.†In recent years, she said she felt a strong urge to return to singing. She has worked with Ciaran Brady, the vocal coach at the Tullamore Academy of Music and she has also joined Birr Choral Society and sings with Birr Church Choir. Last August, she sang at the wedding of a close friend, Andrea Finnegan. And she said all these experiences gave her the confident to try her hand at The All Ireland Talent Show. After an initial audition, Bernadette was put through to meet three judges, including Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh, for whom she sang Ella Fitzgerald's Someone To Watch Over Me. Two further rounds of auditions followed, before Bernadette qualified for the final eight of the show, and the live televised rounds. Bernadette has been taken aback at the level of detail involved in the show. Having been put through to the live rounds by judge Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh, Ber was immediately surrounded by stylists and researchers. “It's a great experience to see what goes on behind the scenes, how everything is organised down to the last letter. One would have to admire the hard work that goes into producing a show definitely it's not all glamour. After being selected for the live shows, a film crew arrived at her door to make a short clip of her everyday life. “This again was an experience I will not forget. They arrived at 9.00am and continued throughout the whole day and this is for a slot that will be a maximum of just one minute. What on earth must it be like, if one was filming a feature length film.†The live shows commence on Sunday next at 6.30pm. You can also help Ber and become part of her dream by voting for her on the night also.