2020 Remembered: Almost €100,000 raised for Laois school as Lip Sync Battle a huge success

Back in February more than €100,000 was raised for anew pitch development in a local school. Hundreds of people packed into the Midlands Hotel for a wonderful night – scenes that we hope that we will see once again in the near future.

What a success this was.

The community of Stradbally came together in the Midlands Park Hotel on Saturday night for a Lip Sync Battle that raised a fortune.

Before the night began, a staggering total of €95,000 had been raised with all funds going towards a pitch development on a new site adjacent to St Colmans National School.

Nine acts went head to head on Saturday in front of judges Johnny Ward, Richard Mansworth, Grainne Buggie and Esther Luttrell.

We had Queen, Tina Turner and Beyonce, Candymen, Eurovision, Tinder Ladies, Young Offenders, Desperate Housewives, Eastboys and Shameless Five.

Members of every organisations and group in the town and the surrounding villages of Vicarstown and Timahoe were represented in the packed Maryborough Suite with over 500 people in attendance.

After all the acts performed, the judges and the audience voted for their favourites with ‘Kings of Queen’ coming out on top.

The act was made up of Brian Oxley, Ger Leonard, John Oxley, Pat Brennan and Michael Brennan – who certainly made the late Freddie Mercury proud.

Meanwhile, there was also a prize for the act that raised the most money and that was the Desperate Housewives.

This fantastic foursome of Melissa Ryan, Lisa Foley, Martina Lynch and Lorna Tuohy raised €11,000 all by themselves.

The acts then partied into the night with Brochan Reilly on the decks.

We have a selection of pictures from photographers Lorraine Strang and Alf Harvey below.

We also have a highlights video which you can watch below:

SEE ALSO – For more 2020 Remembered stories, click here