Former 'Six' star Sinéad brings students to Cork city to celebrate 29 years of stage school

A former pop star, who was part of a group which had huge success with one of the biggest selling singles in Irish history and went on tour with Westlife, celebrates 20 years teaching children to sing and dance with a show in Cork Opera House on Saturday night.

Sinéad Sheppard has lived a very varied life, from being a young celebrity with the pop group ‘Six’ managed by Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell, to becoming a Cork county councillor and also running a highly successful school of performing arts groups.

The pop band propelled the young Cobh woman to stardom with the hit single ‘Whole Lot of Loving’ – which is still one of the biggest selling singles in Irish history, two decades later.

She started the Sinéad Sheppard School of Performing Arts 20 years ago and to mark that milestone her current crop of young singers and dancers took to the Opera House stage to showcase their talents.

Ms Sheppard’s school started with just one class in Cobh and since thenshe's built a very impressive performing arts academy which now has more than 50 classes running seven days a week, across eight different locations.

The former popstar teaches dance, ballet, acro, musical theatre and singing to children all around the region.

Her dancers have had huge success over the years. performing at Live at the Marquee in Cork as support to pop twins Jedward, taking part in St Patrick’s Day parades in Disneyland Paris, Dublin and Cork, and performing in Cork Opera House panto.

Former students have also performed on The Late Late Toy Show, while some are currently in London attending dance college, or travelling the world on professional dance contracts.

Ms Sheppard, who's served as a Fine Gael councillor since 2009, said she’s immensely proud of the achievements of many of the children who she’s taught down the years.

"Two students are flying in from London for the Opera House gig. They are studying in the prestigious Stella Mann College. There is another dancer who is a lead dancer and vocalist on the Royal Caribbean cruise ships,” she said.