You're a Star raises €310k for charity

Over €310,000 was raised for Irish charities from the special You’re a Star talent competition held earlier this year, it was confirmed today.

The eight well-known contestants on RTE’s You’re A Star Charity Special programme pitted their musical skills against one another to raise €310,732.

Finian McGrath, an Independent TD, who gave €75,855 to his chosen charity Down Syndrome Ireland with 24% of the public’s vote, said he was delighted with the amount raised on the live television programme.

The Dublin North Central TD, who came second in the summer series, said the money would mean a lot for all families who look after someone with disabilities.

“I raised another €1,500 from people coming up to me in bars and on the street and giving me €20 notes and €10 notes, so I have sent that in as well,” the TD, whose daughter Cliodhna has Down’s Syndrome, said.

“I’m thrilled with the show, I initially went in to try and last two or three nights and raise €7,000 or €8,000 for them. So this is 10 times what we expected to get.”

Mr McGrath, who lost one stone in weight during the hectic competition, said the show had raised the profile of Down Syndrome Ireland to the public.

“The hidden story is it raised the hopes of young parents with children with Down’s Syndrome out there. A lot of them are totally wiped out emotionally in the first while,” he said.

The outright winner, Fair City star David Mitchell, raised €133,246 for the Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin.

Television presenter Sile Seoige raised €41,136 for the homeless organisation Cope in Galway, comedian Alan Shortt gave €26,765 to the National Council for the Blind of Ireland and former Miss Ireland Natasha Nic Gairbheith gained over 1% of the public’s vote to earn €4,520 for the Donegal Hospice.

Columnist Amanda Brunker raised €1,780 for Solas, which is part of Irish Autism Action, television presenter Geri Maye gave €13,617 to the Marie Keating Foundation and ’S@ttitude’ presenter Liam McCormack gained 4% of the vote to give €13,809 to Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.

The charity show was a spin-off of the talent show You’re A Star which has been running for three years and returns to television screens this Sunday.

The special show, which was broadcast on RTÉ One over two weeks in August, saw the eight contestants compete to raise money for their designated charities.

The next series of the talent contest featuring unknown and budding singers will begin broadcasting on November 20 at 6.30pm on RTÉ One.