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Susan Boyle wows audiences in Belfast and Dublin shows

'I hope her mother can see her now in heaven'

ANTOINETTE KELLY

IrishCentral.Com Staff Writer

Published Thursday, July 2, 2009, 8:59 AM

Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009, 5:59 PM

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A newly made-over Susan Boyle sings at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast

BLOG | THE FAT LADY SINGS | NIALL O'DOWD: CLICK HERE

NEWS | WITH VIDEO | SUSAN'S DREAM COMES TRUE: CLICK HERE

Irish fans north and south of the border gave standing ovations to Susan Boyle today after her triumphant return to her parents' homeland.

Boyle wowed audiences in Dublin and Belfast with her showstopping rendition of "Memories," and "I Dreamed a Dream."

More than 15,000 fans packed into the 02 arena in Dublin on Tuesday night to see her while another 20,000 squeezed into the Odyssey center in Belfast last night.

VIDEO: EMOTIONAL HOMECOMING: Click here to see raw video of Susan Boyle singing in Belfast last night at the Odyssey Arena

Just last weekend it had been touch-and-go as to whether Boyle - or SuBo as her fans call her - would appear.

In Dublin, friends Moira Hegarty, 47, and Catherine Hartnett, 46, said they were thrilled with the concert.

The pair, who had lit candles for Boyle in their local church at the weekend, managed to get up close to the stage.

"She's so much better in real life than she is on screen," said Hartnett. "She's such a powerful singer and there's so much emotion there, not like those plastic singers you get now."

Susan dedicated her shows in Dublin and Belfast to her late mother Bridget, who came from Donegal.

Her mother's absence touched the hearts of many of the fans attending both concerts.

"It's such a tragedy that her mother isn't here to see her now," said Louise Flood from Ballyshannon in County Donegal, who attended the Belfast show.

"It's so sad that they didn't live to see their daughter achieve this huge success story."

Another fan, Elaine McMahon, from Gweedore, said her heart was "just broken" for Boyle.

"It must be so tough on her to be up there on stage without the people who kept encouraging her to follow her dream."

"I hope her mother can see her now from heaven."

Boyle's parents, Patrick and Bridget, emigrated from County Donegal in the 1930s, settling in Blackburn, West Lothian, in Scotland where Susan was born on April 1, 1961.

Her father, Patrick, was a miner and served in World War II, while her mother Bridget worked as a typist.

Bridget, who died in 2007, had urged Boyle to try out for the TV shows.

But Boyle was nervous of large crowds and afraid that she would be laughed at.

Her shyness stems from her school days where she was bullied by classmates who unkindly called her "Susie Simple."

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As the Irish people have a genuine sense of fun, Irish entertainment can be found in every town, village, city and county. One of the most popular forms is the festival, which is used to celebrate all sorts of occasions &emdash; everything from literary pursuits to a love of oysters. Here are a few highlights of entertainment in Ireland throughout the year: Londonderry boasts the biggest Halloween Festival in the world with around 30,000 celebrating the ancient Celtic New Year every October. Grab a dodgy mask and join the party! / The Belfast Festival at Queen’s is Ireland’s biggest International Festival and boasts an eclectic mix of music, talks, comedy, exhibitions and film. / The Galway Races, the Rose of Tralee Festival, Puck Fair in Killorglin, and the Oul’ Lammas Fair in Ballycastle are world famous and offer a great chance to enjoy Irish entertainment, life and laughs with the locals. / Food festivals are now a big draw in Ireland with local produce scoring high among international foodies. Head to the famous oyster festivals in Clarenbridge in Galway, or Hillsborough, County Down. / Tune in to a spot of music with the Open House Festival in Belfast, the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, or the Feile an Phobail in west Belfast. Or grab a pint and tap your feet to some cool tunes at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. / If you prefer your festivals small and intimate, try the harp festivals in Roscommon or the rough and ready horse and pony fairs from Cavan to Cork. Even today, the horses are priced in guineas, and bought and sold with a spit in the hand. / At the other end of the scale of entertainment in Ireland lies the Wexford Opera Festival with full-scale opera productions, concerts, recitals, talks, cabaret, fireworks, and, of course, parties. / For something a little different, try the Magnus Barelegs Festival in Downpatrick offering a slice of Viking life, or the Eagle Wing Festival in Groomsport, County Down, which celebrates Ireland’s cultural links with America. / Theater fans should head to Dublin for both the Dublin Theatre Festival and the excellent Dublin Fringe Festival, with wildly exciting performances taking place in fabulous venues. / Around March 17, the country turns a shade of green for a host of St Patrick’s Festivals. All over the country, from the Saint’s hallowed burial place in Downpatrick to the more carnival atmosphere of parades and exceptional fireworks in Dublin and Belfast. / Literary lovers should head to Dublin in June for the intriguing Bloomsday Festival, where fans of Joyce’s Gargantuan Ulysses dress up in traditional gear and scoff old Dublin food like “nutty gizzards” and “urine-soaked kidneys”. Alternatively, seek out the delights of the Aspects Literature Festival in Bangor in September, an annual celebration of Irish literature with lectures, discussion and music. But festivals are just one aspect of Irish entertainment—let's not forget about music! From impromptu sessions in your local bar to the thrilling beat of U2, Ireland has always been home to the best sounds of music. Ireland’s massive successes in the Irish entertainment world include some bands and artists you may have heard of…U2, The Corrs, Enya, Westlife, Snow Patrol, Ash, David Holmes, Van Morrison and The Thrills, to name just a few. Unique and distinctive, the harp holds a special place in Irish entertainment and has come to symbolize the harmony of people and music in Ireland. It’s the earliest musical instrument mentioned in Irish literature and has been used as an official emblem for Ireland since medieval times. Today, it’s on Irish passports and stamps. But there's more: Fleadhs, or festivals, are a major part of Irish entertainment as well as cultural life, and impromptu trad sessions have become the stuff of legend at West Belfast’s Feile an Phobail, the Galway Racing Festival or Kerry’s Puck Fair. Rock and dance music festivals are also big news with the Oxegen Festival, Tennents Vital Belfast and the Electric Picnic held in summer.

Susan Boyle wows audiences in Belfast and Dublin shows

'I hope her mother can see her now in heaven'

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