The Voice of Ireland is back in full swing as Kathryn Thomas and the gang scale the country for new Irish talent.
Ireland’s a small country and we’ve already recognised a few faces performing to the back of the four chairs.
Tomorrow night, one scantily-clad girl will take to the stage to wow the Voice of Ireland judges, only months after turning heads at her dream wedding.
Newly-wed teenager Kelly McDonagh has two missions on her hand-to impress the judges and to inspire other Travellers to follow their dreams and do the same.
Kelly will belt out Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing as part of her performance and says she wants to top the charts and inspire her community.
Kelly McDonagh sings one of Whitney’s classics…
The 19-year-old said: “A lot of Traveller girls are very shy and need a boost to get people doing things like this. I hope to be up there high in the charts.”
“I’m very nervous going on stage but I’m confident I can do it. It’s an exciting time and I’m just going to enjoy every minute of it. It’s nice to get the attention.”
Kelly turned heads only four months ago in Fermoy, Co Cork when she married Galway man Bernie Mongan.
“I had six bridesmaids and two flower girls and a mini-bride and afterwards we had a marquee, it was brilliant.”
Kelly was encouraged by Bernie and her family in Cork to try out for the show after they heard her singing at family events.
“They were always saying to me about going for The X Factor and things like that,” she said.
The said she was thrilled to see herself on the ad for this weekend’s RTÉ show.
The ad was just pure me to be honest and I couldn’t believe that there I was up on the telly, it’s fantastic.”
THE Voice of Ireland is on RTÉ One tomorrow at 6.30pm
