A talented school girl had the time of her life when she appeared on the Late Late Toy Show on Friday night.
Shannon Copeland (13), from Hilltown, was among a group of five children who sang ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ on the RTÉ show (see video at the bottom of the article).
The Lion King themed show was watched in 152 countries and raised more than six million euros for Irish charities.
Shannon was among the lucky few chosen from 160,000 applicants after her mum Joleen sent the broadcaster a clip of her singing.
“They rang us and said they wanted her to go for an audition, and after that she was told she was going to be in the show,” said Joleen.
Both Shannon and her mum were put up for two nights in a hotel in Dublin and driven to and from the studio, while the teenager and her fellow singers also met programme host Ryan Tubridy.
“It was a fantastic experience,” said Joleen who was watching from behind the scenes as the show was aired.
“I was on the edge of my seat watching them. When they put them on, they looked fantastic and it sounded brilliant.”
She said her daughter had made “loads of new friends for life”.
Shannon, who began singing four years ago, is no stranger to on-screen success. She was chosen from 5,000 applicants to take part in TG4’s Junior Eurovision, and was one of just eight who made it through to the semi-finals.
Mum and daughter also featured in Donncha’s Two Talented show on RTÉ in August in which children teach a parent or other relative their particular talent and perform a duet with them on stage.
Shannon, a third year pupil at St Mark’s High School in Warrenpoint and a member of Sheridan Stage School, will also be singing at the Christmas lights switch-on in Hilltown this Friday evening.
