Twenty years ago, he took the Dome in Tralee by storm with his display of Irish dancing.
For this year’s Rose of Tralee, Paul Dargan will be ensconced on the sofa at home in Graiguecullen with his wife Joan and their six-month-old son, Michael.
The story he will have to tell Michael in a few years’ time is how he wowed the audience in the Dome after he took to the stage as the party piece of the Boston Rose, Grainne Lanigan, when he was escort to the Ulster Rose, Ciara McGinley.
After feigning an initial mediocre performance, Paul who was 23 at the time, flew across the stage, dispensing with his tuxedo jacket and displaying his fancy footwork, to a rapturous response from the audience.
“Grainne asked me if I would dance with her for her party piece. I said I would love to and be honoured to but it wasn’t down to me as no escort had ever been up on stage in the dome before. We met with Ryan Tubridy who was the host, and the producers and directors,” recalled Paul.
“They saw my dancing and loved it. Our Irish dancing display was kept a secret. When everyone took their lunchbreak in the dome, we were brought in for rehearsal.
“On the night, Ryan said that Grainne was going to teach me how to dance,” said the world champion Irish dancer, a former pupil of Gabrielle Lynam, Portlaoise, who he describes as being like a second mother to him.
It was an unforgettable night for Paul who returned as escort to the Toronto Rose, Kate Heffron, the following year.
With memories of watching the Rose of Tralee in his grandmother’s house in Athy and seeing his parents in the audience, getting a standing ovation in the dome for his Irish dancing was the stuff of dreams.
“It was one of the most amazing nights of my life. I’ve been dancing all my life. I’m 43 this year and it’s in my blood. My two sisters Adeline and Claudia are Irish dance teachers and my nephew and nieces dance.”
Paul always wanted to be an escort and started putting the word out from a young age.
“I met the musical director of the festival, Ollie Hennessy, while dancing at an event. At that stage, I was too young but a couple of years later, he rang me about the Rose tour.
“They were going to be calling to Carlow and he asked me to perform Riverdance for them. He said it would give me an idea of what was required to be an escort,” he said.
“In 2003, I applied to be an escort. There were 450 guys in the running for it and 26 were chosen as escorts. I was very lucky, I got chosen. There was a great build up to the festival. It was a special time and long before social media came along.
“My mum and dad, sisters, godmother and neighbours were there for it. It was an amazing experience and I made lifelong friends from it, some of whom were at my wedding a year-and-a-half ago.”
While his wife, Joan, a Wexford woman, isn’t an Irish dancer, she enjoys soaking up the atmosphere at the events. For Paul who has travelled all over the world with Comhaltas groups, The Chieftains, Kelly Clarkson, Sharon Shannon and other musicians, it is a real passion.
While he was interested in GAA and soccer growing up, Irish dancing won out. He revels in the Rose of Tralee.
“This year is extra special as it’s 20 years on from that performance. We are in contact through Facebook and we are like a big family, always supporting and there for each other.
“It’s about community, family and friends. This year I sponsored a rose from Graiguecullen and it was great to be able to do that,” said Paul who is a sports photographer and a graphic designer. Some of his banners will be in the Dome at this year’s festival.
“Some people only know me as a photographer sitting on the GAA pitch. One person I chatted to recently about doing escort at the Rose of Tralee experience, went home and looked it up on YouTube.
“They were amazed. They had no idea this was something I had done,” laughed Paul.
Having followed his dream in becoming a Rose of Tralee escort not just once, but twice, it looks like it will only be a matter of time before he has the Lord of the Dance, Michael Flatley, intrigued with his anecdotes.
And you can check out that memorable performance below:
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