Headford singer's survival instinct key to Glór Tire title

By JACQUELINE HOGGE A HEADFORD singer will take to the stage this evening, (Wednesday) in the final of a national television song contest that, were she to win, would mark a remarkable chapter of an incredible story of the young mother of two. Fionnuala Deacy, nee Joyce, lives in Cong with her husband Edward and children Alex, 6 and Eleanor, 2. [private] She has been singing since her school days at Presentation College Headford, and has performed at various functions throughout the West in recent years, including The Quiet Man Festival in Cong this summer where Daniel O'Donnell was also on the billing. Having been invited to take part in Glór Tíre, TG4's annual search for the Ireland's newest country and western star, she is now down to the final three, the winner of which will be chosen tonight in the Quays Bar in Galway. 'I wouldn't have had much knowledge of Glór Tíre as I wouldn't have the best of Irish, and country and western wouldn't be an area I would have much experience in,' she said. 'But when Patrick Feeney invited me to take part back in June I couldn't pass up such a wonderful opportunity.' Patrick is one of nine established artists who mentored the contestants in this year's competition, where the judging panel is made up of RTE's John Creedon, Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan and singer-songwriter Caitríona Ní Shúilleabháin. Fionnuala performed alongside Patrick over the 11 weeks of the competition, as well as singing solo to secure her place in the final where a public vote will determine the winner. 'I've been singing for as long as I can remember in the likes of Campbell's Tavern in Cloughanover and at weddings, that kind of thing,' said Fionnuala. 'This whole experience has been amazing and I never thought I'd get to the final, but the support I've got from so many people has been so encouraging and the exposure alone from being on national television week in week out for the past few months is invaluable.' But behind the musical talent lies a determination that has seen the singer survive two brain surgeries, the latter of which was carried out when she was four months pregnant with her eldest son. Pins and needles 'When I was 20 I was studying engineering at GMIT and I had a constant sense of pins and needles in my left arm. This went on for months and eventually began to affect my left hip and leg. 'After a pretty severe seizure one evening at home I was admitted to hospital where the doctors told my mother I had a massive inoperable cancerous brain tumour. Thankfully turned out to be a completely false diagnosis. 'The condition I did have is called cavernous haemangioma, which is a cluster of blood vessels in the brain and is something I was born with,' she said. 'I came through the surgery and got on with my life, getting married and deciding to have a family, when eight weeks into my first pregnancy I started having seizures again and the nightmare started all over again. 'The worst bit was they told me after the first surgery that it wouldn't happen again and then I was being told I had to wait to have the second growth removed until I was further along in my pregnancy to give my baby the best chance of survival. 'I still have a small growth on my brain but they have told me that so long as it doesn't increase in size, I can continue to live life as normal, which with two young children in a very busy house, I have no option but to do.' Three heart attacks Fionnuala's husband Edward, who himself has survived three heart attacks in the past year, said it was the longest most distressing six hours of his life, waiting for her to come out of surgery. 'They said it would be a four or five hour op so by the time it hit the six hour mark I was beyond worried. I didn't know if she was dead or alive in there,' he said. But the survival instinct is strong in the young mother who went on to have a healthy son, followed four years later by a beautiful daughter, both of whom will be in the Quay's cheering on their mother tonight. 'Winning would be the icing on the cake but either way it's been a brilliant experience and I've got to meet so many fantastic people along the way,' said Fionnuala. 'The other two guys in the final, Matt Leavy and Nicky Kealy, are incredible and seem to have a huge support base behind them so I'm not expecting to win, but if I did I'd be delighted. 'Lines close at midday today and the show will be recorded from 5 pm this evening in the Quays, so everyone is welcome to come along to what will be a wonderful evening of music.' To vote for Fionnuala text Glór9 to 53307 and check out the programme tonight on TG4 at 10.35 pm.[/private]