Cork teacher faces up to make-up challenge

YOU don’t expect a school teacher to have a side hustle as a make-up artist, but for Shane O’Connell, it’s all part of expressing his artistic side.

Shane, who’s from Wilton, teaches at Holy Cross National School in Mahon. The 26-year- old sees his face as a canvas on which he can create myriad looks.

With a growing presence on social media - he is active on Instagram and Tik Tok - he loves to express himself with his special effects make-up.

Shane admits he initially found it hard to put himself out there, but is now confident about showing off his make-up prowess. He doesn’t take any notice of the trolls that try to diminish him.

While training to be a teacher at Mary Immaculate College, Shane particularly enjoyed the art module. “I found the lecturers really open-minded. I was encouraged to do what I liked doing.”

For those of us who slap on make-up daily to make ourselves presentable, it might be a stretch to consider it an art form. But for Shane, make-up is art. “It’s a modern art-form.”

He doesn’t wear make-up outside of pursuing his interest, but says that may change in the future. “I love learning about make-up and researching it,” he says. “Down the line, I will take it more seriously. It’s a fun thing for me at the moment.”

From subtle ‘natural’-looking make-up to bold statement looks, Shane has it covered. He sometimes has to “glue things onto my face. I use prosthetics and different coloured eye contact lenses. I use horns too! And bald caps that cover the hair and allow you to paint on your head. They’re all props for your face.”

Shane finds painting his face “therapeutic. It’s just me in my room, enjoying it and going on social media. The point of social media is for people like me to have an audience. I’m hoping momentum will gather.

“Obviously, I’m a teacher at the moment. I love working with kids. I’d like to let kids know that you can be who you want to be, you can wear what you want and you can put on make-up too.

“Nobody should be afraid of how they show themselves. We all have that fear.”

Would Shane like to work full-time in make-up artistry?

“I’d like it as a part-time job, doing even simple things like make-up for weddings. I’d also like a sideline where I’d be able to do more outside the box make-up for different people, or for movies or for the cast in a show. That would be my dream.”

Shane says there are openings for his line of work. He cites the Everyman theatre and the Cork Opera House “and different places in Dublin” as places where he could find work. “I’d like to get to know more people in this business and see if they need anyone. It’s all about having contacts.”

The fruits of Shane’s labour - and that of a nursing student from Armagh, a call-centre worker from Limerick and an art student from Kerry - can be seen on Mise, Mé Féin & m’Aghaidh, a four-part series that starts on TG4’s BLOC shared social media hub today. Shane’s segment is on February 17.

These “Masters of Make-up and Queens of Contouring” will give audiences a window into the colourful world of make-up and the Irish MUA (Make-Up Art) online community.

With thousands of followers and lots of opportunities, it’s an exciting time for these aspiring MUAs.

What started out as a hobby has become a full-time career for many, as social media helps make their dreams a reality.

In the series, viewers will see what happens behind the camera. There will be a focus on Instagram filters and Tik Tok collaborations.

The skills of the MUAs - who are all in their twenties - will be challenged when they’re asked to produce a dramatic look in just 90 minutes. They will have to create a make-up look for the year 3000!

From zombies to robots, the MUAs will unleash their creativity as they create show-stopping looks, using their skills and lots of cosmetics.

But the series also looks at the dark side of social media, with negative comments being hurled at the MUAs. How will they overcome obstacles like this to pursue their passion?

While Shane doesn’t wear make-up in everyday situations, he and many of his male peers have a skincare routine. Even his father uses moisturiser.

Apart from the world of rock’n’roll, where the likes of David Bowie and Boy George wore make-up to great effect, for the first time in centuries, made-up men are no longer taboo, thanks to social media and the emergence of male beauty influencers.

However, ironically enough, in ancient Egyptian culture, make-up played a role in emphasising masculinity. The men used black pigment to create elaborate cat-eye designs. Later, kohl eyeliner, green eye shadow and lip and cheek stains made from red ochre were also popular with the guys.

But while the purpose of make-up today is to make oneself more attractive, it was used back then as a signifier of, for example, wealth and status. Dramatic eyeliner on men was used for this purpose. Green eye shadow was believed to evoke the gods, Horus and Ra, who warded off harmful illnesses.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, make-up was hugely popular among men who valued ghostly white powdered skin. This was an era when face make-up was made with lead, which led to serious health problems, including premature death. Talk about suffering for your art....

Also taking part in Mise, Mé Féin & m’Aghaidh are:

Niall Casey, Cahersiveen, Kerry, 20

Niall is currently one of the biggest MUAs in the country. He has more than a million followers on social media, where he creates a beauty and creative makeover in front of thousands every day.

Until this year, Niall didn’t wear make-up outside his house – but now he’s in the spotlight after coming second place on the first series of RTÉ series Glow Up Ireland.

Jade Kiely, Caherdavin, Limerick, 26

Jade works for a call centre from home, but she dreams of a job as a full-time make-up artist in Hollywood with the leading stars in the future!

Taking inspiration from drags films, horror characters and queens, her skills are going from strength to strength.

With plenty of colour and enthusiasm, Jade puts her work on Instagram. Her uncle, Shane, is a Drag Queen and a great inspiration to Jade. As Jade grew up, Shane gave her make-up tips and inspired Jade with her own make-up and style.

Together, they share wigs and make-up together, and now, Jade is the master of the craft.

Twins Eimear and Róisín Thornbury, Lurgan, Armagh, 22

Eimear is a nursing student and Róisín is a full-time make-up artist, but together, thousands of people have followed them on social media.

The twins create fun videos of make-up on Tik Tok and work with leading brands and companies around the world.

With a huge following, the girls are going from strength to strength online.

Ignoring the ‘trolls’ on social media, the girls have good fun working together and are now stars in their own area.

Mise, Mé Féin & M’Aghaidh will be available to view only on TG4’s hub BLOC and on its YouTube and Instagram channels.

The YouTube channel link is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdiUOkv83enznSFRV9UBA-w

BLOC is a shared social media hub which is currently available on Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok, Facebook & Twitter. It prides itself in showcasing innovative, creative, entertaining great Irish language content which is made by young people, for young people.

The series is produced by Big Mountain Productions under TG4’s Glúin Nua scheme, an Irish language filmmaking mentoring scheme in partnership with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Údarás na Gaeltachta and in association with Gréasán na Meán Skillnet.