Local man looking forward to Westmeath Bachelor Festival

The local competitor is set to perform original song in front of Louis Walsh at the event

Rosemount man Ciaran Clarke will perform his own original song when he competes in the Westmeath Bachelor Festival in Mullingar on Saturday, July 29.

The Westmeath man has strong Offaly roots as his mother Celine Clarke neé Ryan is from Birr and he previously lived in the town for eight years. Ciaran attended primary school in Crinkill before moving to Rosemount when he was ten years old. He also previously worked in Burger King in Tullamore for five years whilst studying Law in university and worked as a healthcare assistant in Tullamore Hospital for a period.

Speaking about his time in Offaly, Ciaran said: "Some of my greatest memories were in Offaly. I played soccer with Birr Town FC underage. I hurled with CRC, it was great. We lived just on the outside of Crinkill. We were right beside the bog, it was class."

Ciaran plays the harmonica, guitar and piano and wrote 'Here We Go Again' which is a love story about a couple who are supposed to be together but it never works out to perform at the festival.

“I believe it's a great song. I've shown it to a few people and they've all agreed so hopefully now it'll go down well on the night. It's an excuse to let me play on stage.”

The song is called 'Here We Go Again' and is a love story about a couple who are supposed to be together but it never works out. “It's got a harmonica and a guitar in it and to be honest, it sounds like some sort of cross between an Irish trad song and a rock and roll song.”

The Maynooth University graduate decided to apply for the competition when he saw an advertisement for the festival and thought that taking part would keep him busy for a few weekends.

Speaking about his experience with the festival to date, Ciaran said: “I'm having an absolute ball with it but I had no idea what I was getting myself into, if I'm being entirely honest.”

He said he's been getting on very well with some of the other contestants and enjoyed meeting up with them at various event such as the Kilbeggan Races.

Ciaran took a light-hearted approach to the competition with a witty joke in his application saying that he can “foot turf quicker than your granddad”.

He recommended anyone to apply for the Westmeath Bachelor Festival. “My confidence has gone through the roof. I work in an office, but there's a good few women who are mad into (the festival.) They're trying to dress me and everything, but I'll end up picking my own outfits for the day when it comes.”

The former Moate Community School student's biggest highlight of the experience so far was when he found out that he will be appearing on The Six O'Clock Show on Virgin Media One with the other contestants this Friday. “That was the highlight because I've never been on TV before.”

He is looking forward to the competition later this month and said that he “can't wait to sing a song in front of Louis Walsh”.

“I entered the X-Factor in 2017, but I didn't know what I was getting myself into.” Unfortunately, Ciaran never made it past the first stage of the competition. “I didn't get to sing in front of Louis Walsh. Louis has actually always been my favourite on the XFactor as well. I used to love his relationship with Sharon, I can't wait for him to hear a song that I've written myself.”

Ciaran also has ambitions to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in the future. “I actually have a song that I believe is better than the one I'm planning on performing on the night (of the Westmeath Bachelor Festival.) The thing is, I don't have an intro for it. It needs a lot more work. I need a band to get me there.” He said that the standard of Ireland's Eurovision entry needs to improve.

Another highlight for Ciaran was the recent press day for the festival in Mullingar. “That was great craic. Meeting James Doyle was fun as well. He's actually a celebrity himself. He's got seven or 800,000 followers on Instagram and when we were walking through Mullingar with him he had people coming over and getting their pictures taken with him every five seconds.”

Ciaran is hoping that the exposure will help get his name out there in terms of the music scene in Mullingar. “I know a lot of musicians in Mullingar so I'm hoping I get a bit of a name out out of it and I'll be able to gig with some of the lads in town because I don't have a band.”

Ciaran has a Bachelor of Civil Law from Maynooth University and has completed five out of eight of the FE-1 exams. The FE-1 is the entrance examination to the Law Society of Ireland which is held twice a year and consists of eight papers on core legal subjects. “I am currently studying to be a solicitor and I'm hoping to land my training contract soon.”

He is currently working for a legal costs accounting firm in Dublin and commutes from Rosemount to the capital five days a week. “I've learned to love my commute. I've developed a new attitude towards life since I got on the bus because when I started on the job in September it was monotonous and awful but then I decided your situation's only as bad as your attitude. Now on that bus, every morning is an opportunity to read.”

Speaking about what he likes to do in his spare time, Ciaran said: “Now that I'm working a nine to five, my weekends have just become the most amazing thing ever. I'm away every weekend. I've done Croagh Patrick this year.” He enjoys hiking and going for walks with his dogs along with playing music.

Ciaran loves music and said that Bruce Springsteen is his “hero in life.” He explained: “I actually had no interest in music when I was young. When I was 16, my father took me and my brother to see Bruce Springsteen. I hadn't a clue who he was, but by God, that night changed my life forever because I now play a harmonica, guitar and piano and it's all because of that one night.”

He enjoys listening to rock, pop and indie music and said that he hopes to get to play during the Mullingar Fleadh next month.

Ciaran has received huge support from family and locals upon entering the Westmeath Bachelor Festival competition. “The amount of support I got from family members that I would only see at a funeral was huge. I forgot how big the family was until they got involved in this. It was quite an amazing feeling, actually, realising how how close our family is even when we don't speak to each other much."

If Ciaran wins the competition he will have the opportunity to donate sum of money to his chosen charity which is Darkness into Light. “So many young people have actually lost their lives to suicide in my area in the last while that I wanted to do it for Darkness into Light.”

Ciaran is the son of Martin and Celine Clarke neé Ryan from Rosemount and Birr respectively.

The Westmeath Bachelor Festival will take place in Mullingar Arts Centre on Saturday, July 29 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost €40 plus a booking fee and can be purchased from ticketsolve.com.