Kilkenny's opera-singing Niamh wins 2023 Blue Jean Country Queen

Niamh Sheehy from Kilkenny was crowned the 2023 Blue Jean Country Queen at the Blue Jean Country Queen Festival on Sunday 4 June in Athboy, Meath.

It is the first time that a Kilkenny Queen has won the crown in the festival's 36-year history.

Niamh is a 24-year-old pharmacist assistant, part-time singer and member of Kilkenny City Macra na Feirme. She was awarded the top prize of €1000 from Athboy Credit Union.

Niamh Sheehy and Nick Murphy of Athboy Credit Union. Picture: David Gilroy

The 2019 winner, Aoife Scanlon from Meath who was also chair of the 2023 organising committee was on hand over the crown at a ceremony that took place following the Gala Banquet on Sunday evening. She also is a trained opera singer who has studied at the Royal Irish Academy of Music.

The second prize went to Meath's Georgina Malone, also coincidentally an opera singer, who received €500 from Turmec Recycling. Third place went to Lisa Quinn, a civil servant from Clare who received €300 from M & G Groundworks.

The festival made its return following a four-year hiatus due to Covid-19. Throughout the weekend, Aoife and her 21 fellow Queens took part in a hectic and fun-filled weekend which saw them do everything from taking part in on-stage interviews, playing fancy dress football, attending a BBQ with main sponsors, Athboy Credit Union and singing Karaoke with the festival organizers and judges. 

The festival  began in a relaxed fashion on Friday, June 2 as the Queens took a trip to Causey Farm where they participated in a team-building exercise that saw them bake bread, blow giant bubbles, peddle giant Swan boats and spend time with the pigs, horses and alpacas on the farm. This was followed by an evening music session in Fagan's pub in Athboy where the Queens' joined in with sing-songs and dancing.

The real hard work began Saturday with private interviews with judges former Macra President James Healy, 2010 Blue Jean Country Queen Celine Arkins and community representative Maeve Lalor. Niamh and all the other Queens then spent their day at the Athboy Credit Union BBQ and Fun Day before heading to Floods Bar to sing karaoke. That evening they had their on-stage interviews in front of a crowded Darnley Lodge Hotel and then partied the night away with live music by Ruaile Buaile.

Sunday morning the Queens gathered at the Darnley Lodge Hotel to prepare for a game of fancy dress football. Each dressed as the Eurovision entry of their choice the Queens were led down the main street by Navamba Samba Band towards Athboy's Fair Green to play the match. The match served as the opening event to an afternoon-long family fun day that included live music, children's races, a petting zoo, puppets shows and a Toy Tractor Run. After that it was off to the gala banquet and once the winners were announced the Queens danced the night away to Smash Hits.

Speaking afterwards, Niamh praised the community spirit of the people of Athboy.

“You couldn't hold the festival in any other town in the country. The whole town is behind you," she said.

“There was not a second of this weekend where it felt like a competition. I am a competitive person but after four years of waiting to take part, I just wanted to make every second count. All the girls were in the same boat. We were all just there to meet everyone and have the craic. We were all just there to support each other and have a good time.”