“Liverpool is buzzing” – Westport hairdresser on working at the Eurovision

A Westport hairdresser working at the Eurovision has said Liverpool is 'buzzing’ ahead of tonight’s final.

For the past week, Kate Murtagh has had the privilege of styling hair for Irish entrants Wild Youth plus several over Eurovision acts.

Ms Murtagh, who owns and operates the K-Club on Westport’s Bridge Street, was selected to work at the song contest through her work as an educator with the Moroccanoil beauty brand.

Speaking to The Mayo News during a rare break from styling hair, Ms Murtagh described her experience as ‘exciting’ and ‘very new’.

“Liverpool is buzzing. Even we were here on Sunday and we went around town and the whole city is just vibing over the Eurovision. There is a great atmosphere everywhere,” she said.

As well as dolling up the acts for the televised events, Kate and others have been flat to the mat with two daily rehearsals in between the semi-finals and finals.

She described working at the big event as ‘hard work but great fun’.

“You are seeing so much every day. [It is] fast paced, emotional at times for everyone, people taking part and the hairdressers. You’re kind of nervous to make sure you get their hair done right. They are nervous and anxious that they’re going on stage to represent their country as well.”

“Even a few years ago I wouldn’t have believed that I’d be doing something like this,” added Murtagh, who hails from Cloghan in the Quay area of Westport.

“You’re doing hair and you get stuck into doing hair and next minute you see people walking past, just about to go onstage and everyone’s cheering and you’re like ‘God, where am I?’ It’s been fabulous, great fun. Hard work but great fun.”

Ms Murtagh admitted there was an air of ‘disappointment’ in the Irish camp when Wild Youth failed to qualify for the semi-finals.

She said that the group were ‘lovely’ to work with prior to their exiting the competition on Tuesday night.

“They were delighted to kind of hear Irish accents and have a chat with different people about places that they knew. They were lovely. Good craic. I heard they kept everyone going, even the other countries were singing their praises, how much fun they were to work with backstage.”

When their work was finished, the hairdressers all got to sit back in the Liverpool Arena and watch the live performances.

“[It is] amazing. The whole production, the lights, it’s so much bigger in real life than watching it on telly,” said Ms Murtagh.

“The whole atmosphere and every country, the put on such a show with the background, with dancers, lights, it’s amazing. It really is. You wouldn’t believe the work that goes into it.”