As the vocals of the Ploughing for Stars finalists rang out across the Irish Farmers Journal stand, the cattle to the side of the stage mooed intermittently. Really, it was the most apt of locations for the country songs being sung. A fusion of rural life, representing work on the land and a celebration of culture.
The Ploughing for Stars singing competition took place on both the Tuesday and Wednesday of the National Ploughing Championships in Carlow. There were an abundance of entries following a callout on these pages. A winner was chosen each day, Keelan Greaney on the first and Kendal Moody the second. The prize for both is getting to sing with Mike Denver at one of his gigs.
It was the young blood with their American country taste that was the favoured flavour each day, as the youngest competitors ultimately won out.
There was a general consensus from all in attendance that this was only the very inception of Keelan and Kendal’s music careers, and that in years to come they would be the ones saying, “I saw them at the Farmers Journal stand at the Ploughing before. What year was that again now?”
For Keelan, it was almost a case of it being over before it ever began. He very nearly didn’t make it! Hailing from just outside Tuam, he got dropped to Ballinasloe on Tuesday morning to get a bus directly to the Ploughing in Carlow.
There was trouble with the bus and it didn’t run. For a short while it looked unlikely he would make it to Ploughing for Stars. Fortunately, good friends were on-hand to help out, ferrying him to Carlow last minute and providing plenty of support while he performed.
Instantly, when Keelan’s deep-toned voice sang the first few words, there was silence right across the stand. He gave what was described by the judges as a “hair-raising” rendition of Three Wooden Crosses. A version many said would rival that of Randy Travis’s.
\ Philip Doyle
Although it was the Galway guy that came out on top, he had to first beat off stiff competition from Wexford’s Peter Hughes and Tipperary’s Mary ‘Flash’ Gordon.
Peter, a tillage and sheep farmer, sang a self-penned song, A Shed with No Hay, which was to the air of The Dubliners’, A Pub with No Beer. Mary, who describes herself as a “granny game for anything”, got the whole crowd singing along with her version of Red River Valley.
Keelan studies computing and digital media at GMIT. Although he enjoys this course, he says it is most definitely his dream to be a singer. Coming from a musical family, it was through his mother and his grandfather from Belmullet, Co Mayo that he got his passion for music. He is hoping that his grandfather, who he sounds very similar to when singing, will be able to attend his performance with Mike Denver.
At just 16 years old, Kendal Moody sang with a voice far beyond her years. The fifth-year student from Scoil Chonglais in Baltinglass stepped up to the mic and began by dedicating her song to her step-grandfather, who attended the Ploughing every year and fostered her love for music.
The whole reason she entered Ploughing for Stars was because she felt it encompassed both of his interests and would make him proud.
She certainly gave her whole family, very many of whom were in attendance, something to be proud of. As well as great support from Kendal’s family, there was a large Wicklow contingency present to cheer her on.
The last singer to take to the stage on Wednesday, Kendal blew everyone away singing Rascal Flatts’s God Bless the Broken Road.
Like the day before, it was not an easy decision for the judges in any way, shape or form. Kendal faced competition from Wexford’s Michelle Murphy and Roscommon’s Peter Hoey.
\ Donal O'Leary
Michelle had the whole place rocking singing Our House is a Home, while Peter, from a suckler farm, slowed things down with a lovely version of Come My Little Son. The judges spent a long time deliberating outside, before eventually there was white smoke and judge Deirdre O’Shea, executive director of Agri-Aware, announced Kendal as the winner.
The teenager again took to the stage and wowed the audience for a second time.
Kendal’s father is a sheep farmer, and while farming may have been of big interest to her as a child, it has definitely taken a back seat to music recently.
Going forward, Kendal plans to make her passion for music her main focus. After school, she hopes to go on and study it at third-level.
She is already writing songs including one around the theme of global warming.
Many people across the agri and music industries mucked in to make Ploughing for Stars a success. We would like to extend a big thank you to these people.
Firstly, Ollie Hennessy, the musical director of the Rose of Tralee, who accompanied the singers and provided them with much guidance and support.
Mike Denver. \ David Ruffles
Mike Denver, for graciously taking this project under his wing.
Our judges across the two days: Deirdre O’Shea, executive director of Agri-Aware, who joined us both days; country singer Olivia Douglas and Mairead Lavery, Irish Farmers Journal, who also adjudicated on Tuesday; Eoin O’Donnell, Irish Farmers Journal and country musician Michael Golden, who judged on Wednesday.
MC over the two days Michael Commins, who writes our Country Sound pages.
And, last but not least, all of the readers who came along for an afternoon of music and song.
Read more
Watch: young star Keelan wins Tuesday’s Ploughing for Stars
Watch: 16-year-old Kendal wins Wednesday’s Ploughing for Stars
Ploughing for Stars: the stage is set
As the vocals of the Ploughing for Stars finalists rang out across the Irish Farmers Journal stand, the cattle to the side of the stage mooed intermittently. Really, it was the most apt of locations for the country songs being sung. A fusion of rural life, representing work on the land and a celebration of culture.
The Ploughing for Stars singing competition took place on both the Tuesday and Wednesday of the National Ploughing Championships in Carlow. There were an abundance of entries following a callout on these pages. A winner was chosen each day, Keelan Greaney on the first and Kendal Moody the second. The prize for both is getting to sing with Mike Denver at one of his gigs.
It was the young blood with their American country taste that was the favoured flavour each day, as the youngest competitors ultimately won out.
There was a general consensus from all in attendance that this was only the very inception of Keelan and Kendal’s music careers, and that in years to come they would be the ones saying, “I saw them at the Farmers Journal stand at the Ploughing before. What year was that again now?”
For Keelan, it was almost a case of it being over before it ever began. He very nearly didn’t make it! Hailing from just outside Tuam, he got dropped to Ballinasloe on Tuesday morning to get a bus directly to the Ploughing in Carlow.
There was trouble with the bus and it didn’t run. For a short while it looked unlikely he would make it to Ploughing for Stars. Fortunately, good friends were on-hand to help out, ferrying him to Carlow last minute and providing plenty of support while he performed.
Instantly, when Keelan’s deep-toned voice sang the first few words, there was silence right across the stand. He gave what was described by the judges as a “hair-raising” rendition of Three Wooden Crosses. A version many said would rival that of Randy Travis’s.
\ Philip Doyle
Although it was the Galway guy that came out on top, he had to first beat off stiff competition from Wexford’s Peter Hughes and Tipperary’s Mary ‘Flash’ Gordon.
Peter, a tillage and sheep farmer, sang a self-penned song, A Shed with No Hay, which was to the air of The Dubliners’, A Pub with No Beer. Mary, who describes herself as a “granny game for anything”, got the whole crowd singing along with her version of Red River Valley.
Keelan studies computing and digital media at GMIT. Although he enjoys this course, he says it is most definitely his dream to be a singer. Coming from a musical family, it was through his mother and his grandfather from Belmullet, Co Mayo that he got his passion for music. He is hoping that his grandfather, who he sounds very similar to when singing, will be able to attend his performance with Mike Denver.
At just 16 years old, Kendal Moody sang with a voice far beyond her years. The fifth-year student from Scoil Chonglais in Baltinglass stepped up to the mic and began by dedicating her song to her step-grandfather, who attended the Ploughing every year and fostered her love for music.
The whole reason she entered Ploughing for Stars was because she felt it encompassed both of his interests and would make him proud.
She certainly gave her whole family, very many of whom were in attendance, something to be proud of. As well as great support from Kendal’s family, there was a large Wicklow contingency present to cheer her on.
The last singer to take to the stage on Wednesday, Kendal blew everyone away singing Rascal Flatts’s God Bless the Broken Road.
Like the day before, it was not an easy decision for the judges in any way, shape or form. Kendal faced competition from Wexford’s Michelle Murphy and Roscommon’s Peter Hoey.
\ Donal O'Leary
Michelle had the whole place rocking singing Our House is a Home, while Peter, from a suckler farm, slowed things down with a lovely version of Come My Little Son. The judges spent a long time deliberating outside, before eventually there was white smoke and judge Deirdre O’Shea, executive director of Agri-Aware, announced Kendal as the winner.
The teenager again took to the stage and wowed the audience for a second time.
Kendal’s father is a sheep farmer, and while farming may have been of big interest to her as a child, it has definitely taken a back seat to music recently.
Going forward, Kendal plans to make her passion for music her main focus. After school, she hopes to go on and study it at third-level.
She is already writing songs including one around the theme of global warming.
Many people across the agri and music industries mucked in to make Ploughing for Stars a success. We would like to extend a big thank you to these people.
Firstly, Ollie Hennessy, the musical director of the Rose of Tralee, who accompanied the singers and provided them with much guidance and support.
Mike Denver. \ David Ruffles
Mike Denver, for graciously taking this project under his wing.
Our judges across the two days: Deirdre O’Shea, executive director of Agri-Aware, who joined us both days; country singer Olivia Douglas and Mairead Lavery, Irish Farmers Journal, who also adjudicated on Tuesday; Eoin O’Donnell, Irish Farmers Journal and country musician Michael Golden, who judged on Wednesday.
MC over the two days Michael Commins, who writes our Country Sound pages.
And, last but not least, all of the readers who came along for an afternoon of music and song.
Read more
Watch: young star Keelan wins Tuesday’s Ploughing for Stars
Watch: 16-year-old Kendal wins Wednesday’s Ploughing for Stars
Ploughing for Stars: the stage is set
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