Westmeath man Ciaran Clarke has scooped the title of Westmeath Bachelor of the Year after charming the audience and impressing the judges with his self-penned song which he performed on guitar and harmonica.
Clarke, 29 from Rosemount in Westmeath, was one of six eligible bachelors battling it out for the crown, as the Westmeath Bachelor Festival took place in Mullingar last weekend presided over by a celebrity judging panel of Louis Walsh, Anne Doyle, Pippa O'Connor and Brian Ormond.
The spectacular evening saw each bachelor interviewed on stage in front of a buzzing audience, before showcasing their chosen talent, from lip syncing Grease songs to belting out some show band tunes.
It was an evening of sensitivity and vulnerability too, as many of the bachelors used their opportunity to advocate for men's mental health and reaching out to others in your time of need.
Despite the intense competition, the judges were unanimous in their choice of the winner, who won them over with his charismatic personality and captivating performance, and he was an equally popular choice with the audience, who couldn't get enough of him!
After being crowned Westmeath Bachelor 2023 he said: 'I’m delighted to have won – I wrote my own song, so it was hard earned too! I’m over the moon and kudos to everyone who took part! I love all the lads, it’s been a fantastic experience and there’s more to come over the next year!’
Although the title of Westmeath's top bachelor is surely prize enough, Clarke also received an all-inclusive holiday, a new wardrobe worthy of James Bond himself and a cash donation to his chosen charity.
Speaking about Clarke's performance on the night, Louis Walsh said: "Ciaran was the person I wanted to see again, he will be a great role model. I loved his honesty and his likeability and just what I expected from a great Irish guy, a very worthy winner."
His energy charmed all the judges, with Pippa O'Connor Ormond saying that she "found him automatically infectious you could tell he is a genuine nice guy, a person you would be happy to see your friend or your sister with!"
"Straight away I knew this guy would be the perfect role model for the Westmeath Bachelor competition, someone who could definitely go on to promote and represent Westmeath he is the face of Ireland’s modern man", said Brian Ormond.
He staved off stiff competition on the night, Anne Doyle said: "We had six fabulous finalists, a very impressive line-up but there can only be one winner – and we picked the right one!"
