Colleen answers Ireland’s call to support players in Oz challenge

A BEAUTIFUL singer has answered Ireland’s Call to be part of our rugby World Cup challenge in Australia.

World Cup organisers have chosen 18-year-old soprano Colleen Shannon, from Boolteen, near Castlemaine, Co Kerry, to sing the nation’s rugby anthem before four of Ireland’s group matches. Colleen will sing a duet with 25-year-old Dubliner Alistair Davis and the singers will also perform in a choir during the opening and closing ceremonies.

Colleen, who began voice training at the age of 12, is over the moon with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“It’s kind of scary but I’m sure I’ll get my head around it soon. I just heard I won the other day and haven’t even seen the itinerary but it’s really going to be an amazing trip,” she said.

Sonya Owers of the Irish Youth Choir sent a videotape of Colleen singing to the World Cup organisers who gave her the thumbs-up at the weekend. The duo will perform during the opening ceremony in Stadium Australia on October 10. They will also sing Ireland’s Call in North Power Stadium, Gosford, near Sydney, before Ireland’s World Cup opener against Romania on Saturday October 11.

Coleen will be in Sydney’s impressive Aussie Stadium the following Sunday when Ireland face Namibia. Ireland face Argentina on October 26 in the Adelaide Oval but the team’s biggest test, and Colleen’s biggest home audience, will be in Melbourne’s Colonial Stadium when Ireland face Australia.

“We’re all absolutely delighted and thrilled,” Colleen’s mother Mary said.

Colleen is currently starring in To Dance on the Moon in the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney.