Published: Wednesday, 25th November, 2009 6:00pm

Kathryn and Niall through in RTE talent show

Talented teens Kathryn Nea and Niall Kelly from Castletown Geoghegan did their county proud on Sunday night, when they sang their way through as a qualifying act in the RTE All-Ireland Talent Show.

Against stiff opposition, Niall on guitar, and Kathryn singing, were one of eight acts chosen in the "East" audition, the first of five regional auditions to take place between now and Christmas, as part of a process that will culminate in a national final on Sunday March 14.

Two other acts from Westmeath were also chosen to go through - the Golden Sisters, from Athlone, and "Re-Seisiún" from Moate and Athlone.

Kathryn and Niall became a performing duet when they provided the music for a relative's wedding and they have been performing together ever since.

They are both accomplished performers: Kathryn's unique voice has earned her numerous titles, her most prestigious being the Female Solo Singing title at The All-Ireland Fleadh for the last two years running, while Niall is a gifted musician, playing the guitar, banjo and mandolin. He is the U18 Fleadh banjo champion for Westmeath and narrowly missed out on taking the Leinster title by a single point.

Both attend the Mercy Secondary School in Kilbeggan. Their musical influences differ from those of typical 17 year olds and include Luke Kelly and The Dubliners.

They initially entered The All Ireland Talent Show just to gain some experience and were absolutely shocked that they were chosen to represent the East.

The Moate/Athlone band "Re-Seisiún" comprises Keith Flynn (16), Stephen Heffernan (19), Conor Irwin (19), Liam Flynn (18), and Pat Heffernan (15).

The five all began playing music five years ago with the same music teacher, James Donohue. He gave the boys lessons in their respective instruments and one day decided to get the boys to form a group for a Scór competition. However it wasn't until the May bank holiday weekend (2009) that they did their first proper gig, at The Auld Shebeen in Athlone.

Since then they have been regulars on the seisiun scene across Westmeath. They recently won an award for best new up and coming Irish Trad Group at the Irish Entertainment Awards 2009.

From the accordion to the tin whistle, the banjo to the bódhran, all five members of the band are musically gifted and can turn their hands to any one of several instruments. They see themselves as a new wave of Irish Trad, taking influences from The Horslips, The Eagles and even Bruce Springston. They are currently working really hard on their live show performance and are eager to get the nation's toes tapping to their rhythmic sound.

The Golden Sisters are Cliodhna (14), Aisling (11) and Shauna (17) Golden, who are described as "a mystery to their family", as they are the only ones that are musically gifted going back several generations on either side. The girls spend much of their spare time gathered around the family piano where they take well known pop songs and work out their own harmonies to them. The eldest girls have their own band called Cryptic Silence while little Aisling is an aspiring dancer and actress.

All three girls are involved with the local church choir and have numerous community games medals for singing. However as a trio they had never publically performed until they auditioned for The All Ireland Talent Show. Their parents Sharon and Barry are so proud of their girls for getting through to the live show stage of the competition and while the girls are nervous about stepping out on stage they know that they'll have all the support they need from friends and family.

The celebrity judge on Sunday night's show, broadcast on RTE 1, was Blathnaid Ní Chofaigh. Next week's judge is Daithi Ó Sé, who will oversee the auditions for the West; December 6th's is Dana, who will choose the top eight acts in the North. John Creedon will pick the cream of the crop in the South on December 13, and finally, Shane Lynch will fly the blue flag on December 20.

The first live show will take place on New Year's Eve and viewers will see the gloves come off as each judge will have an act representing their region performing. Viewers will have the chance to get behind their county, their region, their colours and put their favourite act through to the finals. The highest polling act will go straight through to the semi finals with the second placed act getting another chance to shine in the Wild Card Show.Weekly, there are elimination rounds right up to the March 14 final.

The other acts to qualify alongside Kathryn and Niall from the East region were: singer/guitarist David Lotts, from Kiltegan in Wicklow aged 16; pianist Gogoshka Kinkladge, aged 43, from Laytown in Meath; an Irish ballad group, "Na Fianna", from Ballinakill, Laois, and Kilkenny City; singer Paul Powderly, aged 46, from Navan; and a band, "Pyrotechnix", from Kilkenny City, all aged 16.

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