THE Y FACTOR 2012 IN ITS 8 YEAR WAS HELD IN THE WALTER RALEIGH HOTEL IN YOUGHAL ON FRIDAY THE 13TH OF JANUARY . A CROWD OF 500 OR SO ONLOOKERS GATHERED TO EXPERIENCE SOME AMAZING TALENT AND SPINE TINGLING PERFORMANCES FROM THE YOUTH.

THE HOSTESSES WITH THE MOSTEST MAKELLA DONAGHUE AND LAURA BARRY WERE COMPLETELY AT HOME ON STAGE AND BRILLIANT AT KEEPING THE PERFORMERS AT EASE AND THE SHOW IN MOTION . THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE NIGHT 12 ACTS HAND PICKED FROM AUDITIONS THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE HOT SPOT YOUTH CENTER BEFORE CHRISTMAS TOOK TO THE STAGE AND PERFORMED A SONG EACH,

CATRIONA SAVAGE A FINALIST ALSO LAST YEAR WAS FIRST TO GRACE THE STAGE WITH A WONDERFUL RENDITION OF LEANNE RYMES HOW DO I LIVE . NEXT UP WAS JACK SWEETMAN ALSO A FINALIST LAST YEAR WHO MESMERIZED THE CROWD WITH HIS DANCING SKILLS BRINGING THEM TO THEIR FEET IN APPRECIATION, FOLLOWING ON WE HAD ELLE ROCHE PERKS FROM ARDMORE SINGING A BEAUTIFUL VERSION OF ELTON JOHNS YOUR SONG

.CHEYENNE LEWIS AND CLODAGH WHELAN FIRST TIME PERFORMERS ON STAGE WERE NEXT UP DOING A GREAT VERSION OF A CLASSIC COUNTRY SONG BY THE DIXIE CHICKS CALLED TRAVELLING SOLDIER THEN CAME NEVILLE SCOTT ON VOCALS AND GUITAR AND MICHEAL AHEARN ON GUITAR FIRST TIME PERFORMERS BUT DIDN'T SHOW THEY WERE BRILLIANT DOING A MIX OF BRUNO MARS BILLIONAIRE AND STEREO HEARTS .

THE LAST TO PERFORM IN THE UNDER 14 CATEGORY WAS THE YOUNGEST PERFORMER AND WINNER OF THE COVETED Y FACTOR 2012 TITLE THIS YEAR 9 YEAR OLD TARA FLAVIN FROM YOUGHAL SINGING ADELE ROLLING IN THE DEEP .TARA IS INVOLVED WITH HIGH SPIRITS A DRAMA GROUP AND HAS PERFORMED IN SHOWS BEFORE.THE MOMENT SHE BEGAN TO SING THE ELECTRICITY WAS ELEVATED IN THE ROOM BRINGING THE HOUSE DOWN AND RAISING THE CROWD TO THEIR FEET IN RESPECT OF AN ASTONISHING VOICE COMING FROM A SMALL LADY.

OVER THE INTERVAL SAM FOREST SHOWED US WHY SHE WAS WINNER OF LAST YEARS Y FACTOR TITLE PERFORMING JAR OF HEARTS BY CHRISTINA PERRI

THE SECOND HALF WAS KICKED OFF BY THE EVENTUAL WINNERS OF THE OVER 15 CATEGORY A 4 PIECE BAND FROM GLANMIRE THE LEGIONAIRES PERFORMING A CRACKING SONG CALLED RUN . MADE UP OF ( TOM CALAHANE (GUITAR VOCALS) ,DAVE O LEARY ( GUITAR) , GARY LEEHEY (BASS ) AND IAN GUBBINS ( DRUMS) . IT WAS APPARENT THE MOMENT THE BAND TOOK TO THE STAGE THEY WEREN'T NEW TO THE GIG SCENE THEY RAISED THE ROOF WITH THEIR PERFORMANCE BRINGING THE AUDIENCE TO THEIR FEET IN RESPONSE TO A HIGHLY ENERGETIC PERFORMANCE

.NEXT CAME ACCORDION PLAYER VIRTUOSO DANIEL RYAN GETTING A STANDING OVATION FOR PLAYING A PIECE HE WROTE NAMED BLIZZARD. MELISSA BORD AND RACHEL CRONIN WERE NEXT UP DOING A SUPER RENDITION OF SKINNY LOVE BY BON IVER HARMONIES AN ALL. THEN CAME ROCKING 4 PIECE BAND JADED FROM YOUGHAL , MADE UP OF TADGH QUIRKE (GUITAR AND VOCALS) CONOR SLOANE (DRUMS) ,KEVIN KEARNS (BASS AND VOCALS)AND AARON SHAUGHNESSY (GUITAR) THEY TOOK THE STAGE BY STORM AND WITH CONFIDENCE PERFORMING AN ORIGINAL SONG CALLED DEAR DIARY AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST 4 PIECE BAND LONG STORY SHORT MADE UP OF EOGHAN MOLONEY ON (VOCALS )DYLAN VARIAN (GUITAR ) TOM BUDDS (GUITAR) AND DARRAGH LEE ON DRUMS ROCKING THE HOUSE WITH A SONG CALLED LOVER BOY BY YOU ME SIX

JUDGES JOHN BURKE A PRODUCER MUSICIAN AND ENGINEER IN CLAYCASTLE STUDIO YOUGHAL ,CAITRIONA TYNAN A VOCAL COACH AND SINGER FROM YOUGHAL AND DAVE TOWMEY A GUITARIST SINGER AND Y FACTOR WINNER EXPRESSED THEIR OPINIONS AFTER EACH PERFORMANCE ON WHAT WAS GOOD AND HOW TO BETTER THEIR SKILLS IN PERFORMING TO BUILD CONFIDENCE AND SELF BELIEF . THE WHOLE SHOW WAS RECORDED AND WILL BE PUT OUT ON DVD ALONG WITH A RECORDED CD FEATURING EACH FINALIST .

A SPECIAL THANK GOES OUT TO ALL WHO AUDITIONED AND TO FOROIGE FOR PROVIDING A WONDERFUL FACILITY AND SUPPORT NETWORK IN THE HOT SPOT CENTER FOR THE YOUTH ALSO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED OR HELPED MAKE THE SHOW HAPPEN BLESS YOU ALL .