Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 5:00pm

Kathryn and Niall: you did us proud!

Kathryn Nea and Niall Kelly

Falling victim to the judges on last Sunday night's live 'All-Ireland Talent Show' on RTÉ, Westmeath music sensations Kathryn Nea and Niall Kelly returned home on Monday night to the adulation of their friends and relatives.

Kathryn and Niall (both 17) just missed out on the next phase of the contest, when judge Daithí Ó Sé voted in favour of Dublin singer, Chris Geoghegan, who now goes through to the wildcard show.

As Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh's chosen act, Kathryn and Niall took to the stage with a terrific rendition of Luke Kelly's "The Town I Loved So Well", cheered on by a lively local crowd, who made the journey to the RTÉ studios.

The performance received critical acclaim from judges Shane Lynch and John Creedon, who each gave them 9 out of 10.

Further marks of 8 out of 10 followed from Ó Sé and Dana, taking their total to 34 out of 40. This meant that Kathryn and Niall finished the judging element of live show as the joint highest scoring act.

In the resulting phone and text poll, pint-sized Clare singer Ben Escorcio (12) made it directly through to the semi-finals, where he will join Athlone/Moate band Re-Seisiún later this month.

Kathryn and Niall then joined Chris Geoghegan in the wildcard showdown, when a crucial judges' vote went in Geoghegan's favour, ending the Westmeath duo's bid for the grand final.

On Monday night, they returned to The Drake Inn, Castletown-Geoghegan for a homecoming; disappointed, exhausted but delighted with their experience.

"It was such a great experience for them, to be on live television at such a young age," Maeve Nea, Kathryn's sister, told the Westmeath Examiner on Monday. "Everyone's very proud of them."

Kathryn and Niall will now get a well-earned rest before returning to their studies at the Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan, where Niall is currently preparing for his Leaving Cert.

"They went to Dublin on Friday for rehearsals, and Sunday was very gruelling for them," Maeve said. "They were in their clothes and make up from 9am on Sunday morning, and the show didn't finish until 9 o'clock that night." Kathryn, daughter of Pat and Marie Nea, is a native of Castletown-Geoghegan and is the current All Ireland Fleadh Ceoil na h-Eireann Under 18 Solo Singing Champion - a title that she also won in 2008 and 2009.

She has also won several Scór Leinster Titles and she is named to receive an award in Westmeath Examiner/Mullingar Park Hotel Sports Star of the Year Awards this Friday night.

Niall, son of Michael and Sandra Kelly, hails from Toarlisnamore, Kilbeggan and is an accomplished musician playing guitar, banjo and mandolin.

Indeed, Niall is the current Under 18 Westmeath Fleadh Champion at both banjo and mandolin. He is also a keen Gaelic footballer and hurler.