MUSIC X Factor’s Mary teams up with tenor Des

OH MARY?Dublin singer Mary Byrne will perform in Castlebar with Irish tenor Des Willoughby this weekend.

X Factor’s Mary teams up with tenor Des


Two of Ireland’s finest voices – Mary Byrne and Des Willoughby – join forces for a concert in the intimate surroundings of the Ruby Room at the Royal Theatre, Castlebar, this Saturday, September 6, at 8pm.
Mary Byrne’s story is the stuff of fairytales and movies. She is the Tesco checkout lady from Dublin who took a chance in life at the age of 50 by auditioning for Britain and Ireland’s biggest TV talent show, the X Factor.
Although she was pipped for a place in the 2010 X Factor final after going out in the semi-final, Mary won the hearts of millions with her big, warm personality and powerhouse voice. Since then, she has performed for Queen Elizabeth II on her historic State visit to Ireland in 2011 and shared the stage with Neil Diamond, performing for over 55,000 fans at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. She has just scored a top ten hit with her new album ‘Magic of the Musicals’.
Des Willoughby, who is regarded as having one of the most-natural tenor voices in the country, is making a big impression on the national and international music scene.
He has toured extensively in Ireland, the UK and the US as a soloist, as a member of The Three Irish Tenors, and most recently, with his five brothers as The Willoughby Brothers.
Croke Park has provided the stage for some of the highlights of his career to date, having sung the National Anthem at a number of All-Ireland games. He also has performed on numerous TV and radio shows all over Ireland.
In 2007 he released his debut album ‘To Where You Are’, which features a blend of Irish classics, musical favourites and contemporary hits.

Tickets for An Evening with Mary Byrne and Des Willoughby (€22.50) are available from the Royal Theatre Box Office on 094 9023111 or www.theroyal.ie.