Disappointment as popular Over 60s Talent Competition not to take place this year

The organiser of the Over 60s Talent Competition, one of the most popular events for senior citizens in the country, has confirmed that the event will not go ahead this year.

Paddy O’Brien said that it is a “very big disappointment” to him personally and to supporters throughout the city and the county.

The competition has not been held since 2019 and Mr O’Brien said he was looking forward so much to holding the event, as were community associations throughout Cork.

The final was due to be held this year on May 22 but City Hall’s Millennium Hall and Concert Hall continue to be used as vaccination centres for the citizens of Cork city and County, which Mr O’Brien said he understands quite well.

For the first 20 years after its inception in 1977, the competition was held at the Cork Opera House but the venue became too small to accommodate the numbers and the competition moved to City Hall where there was bigger seating capacity.

Each year, the competition was a sell-out and Mr O’Brien said that back in 1977, he did not think for one moment that he would be still organising the event more than four decades later.

“I started the competition back 45 years ago for one reason only and that was to try and combat loneliness.

Loneliness was as bad then as it is today and I wanted to get people out of their homes, not just for people to perform on the stage but people sitting in the audience, and enjoy a night’s entertainment provided by people all over 60, some of them 70 and some over 80.

“People look forward to the competition from year to year. They’ve attended local heats and they look forward to the night. Many friends would meet at the local heats and each year people would meet at the same venues and for some, it was the only outing where they would meet.

“It brought great joy and happiness to people and great joy to the families too who were so proud. It brought families together. 

"Down through the years, I’ve heard of people coming home from as far as Australia and America if an elderly parent was taking part in the City Hall and I’ve heard stories about families going out and sitting together for the first time in years in the City Hall,” he said.

He said one of the fondest memories was Sunday, April 29, 1984, when Bishop John Buckley was consecrated auxiliary bishop of Cork and made his first appearance at the competition after his consecration.

Speaking about the competition, the Chairperson of the Blarney Street Community Association, Tom Coleman, said: “We’re all saddened that the competition will again not be held this year.

The Over 60s was the biggest social event for us in our area and we were delighted to be associated with it down through the years.

“We had the outright winner of the competition in 2015 when Liam O’Leary who was a native of Blarney Street was declared the outright winner. That was a great occasion for us,” he said.

The Irish Heart Foundation each year receives the proceeds of the competition and this week regional manager Anne Riordan paid tribute and thanked all those involved in the Over 60s and said it was “a disappointment” that it would not be held this year but that “we have next year to look forward to”.

Mr O’Brien thanked Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister Simon Coveney for their support down through the years. 

He also thanked sponsors Ryan's SuperValu and Lennox Hearing and thanked The Echo newspaper for supporting him since the beginning.

“I always ask myself what would I have done without this great support from The Echo. They’ve supported me from the very beginning 45 years ago,” he said.

Mr O’Brien said that hopefully things will be back to normal in 2023 and has booked the City Hall for the final of the competition on Sunday, June 11.