The second series of The All Ireland Talent Show was announced on 10 August 2009. The winner was Chloe Coyle from Castlederg, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The second season was an extended one with more shows, seventeen in total.
It was scheduled to avoid competition with UK talent show The X Factor which airs on competing channels UTV and TV3.
Personnel Presenters Gráinne Seoige returned as presenter in her only role on the channel following the scrapping of Seoige. Aidan Power and Dustin the Turkey started work on a new show, The All Ireland Talent Show Backstage. The show is based on spin-offs shows like The Xtra Factor and Britain's Got More Talent. This has ended Power's time as co-presenter of Winning Streak: Dream Ticket.
Judges The judges are the same as the first series: Boyzone member Shane Lynch (Dublin), 1970 Eurovision Song Contest winner and conservative politician Dana (North), broadcaster John Creedon (South), television presenter and Irish language enthusiast Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh (East) and television personality and weather forecaster Dáithí Ó Sé (West).
Judge Creedon has warned Dáithi O'Sé to stop stealing acts from Munster, alleging that he "invaded" County Clare in series one and that he would be "answerable to me and to my gang" if he continued to persist. Ní Chofaigh stated her hopes were for her act to win and "have a career". O'Sé has said about his fellow judges: "They're definitely trying to knock me off my perch".
Evelyn O'Rourke appeared as a replacement judge for the third live show after Shane Lynch's flight from London was delayed.
Format The second series was longer than the first, with eight acts in each of the five regions going to the Live Heats, and forty acts in the finals instead of twenty-five. The live shows began on 31 December 2009, and the final was broadcast live on 14 March 2010.
Auditions The first round of auditions in Dublin on 29 August 2009 saw 1,500 people take part. 49 of these made it through to be viewed by Shane Lynch. According to presenter Gráinne Seoige, "a lot more musicians and traditional bands turned up [in Dublin] than last year".
The second round of auditions took place in the North in Derry on 5 September 2009. Almost 1,000 acts auditioned in Derry, including country and western acts, tap and hip hop dancers, a mini Freddie Mercury and a 40 piece marching band.
The third round of auditions took place in the South in Cork on 12 September 2009. 1,500 people, including bands, traditional dancers and a collie who could drive, appeared at these auditions.
The fourth round of auditions took place in the West in NUI Galway on 19 September 2009. Auditionees included "family acts", magicians and sean-nós dance specialists.
The fifth round of auditions took place in the East in Kilkenny on 26 September 2009. These were the final round of auditions to take place.
List of contestants Week one (Dublin) The first episode was broadcast on 29 August 2009. It featured the Dublin auditions which saw Shane Lynch choose eight acts to compete. Final eight:Ghetto FabulousRomey FarrellyA Different UniqueTumbleweedJoanna Ryde & The LadsChris GeogheganSeán TaaffeFiona Hickey and Niall Kinsella
Week two (The North) The second episode was broadcast on 5 September 2009. It featured auditions from the North which saw Dana Rosemary Scallon choose eight acts to compete. Final eight:Rachael McCauleyKaren MorrisonCloughaneely Marching BandMark AdamsonLeonardo López MonrealChasin' HooleyChloe CoyleKailan McDermott
Week three (The South) The third episode was broadcast on 12 September 2009. It featured auditions from the South which saw John Creedon choose eight acts to compete. Final eight:Michael LawlorCathal FlahertyJohnny "Bongos" HorganBella AnamMichelle SkehanBen EscorcioGhetto GranniesLinda Fitzgerald
Week four (The West) The fourth episode was broadcast on 19 September 2009. It featured auditions from the West which saw Dáithí Ó Sé choose eight acts to compete. Final eight:Stall the DiggerTom & Eoghan CostelloTara Burke-McDonnellEmma O'Sullivan & John O'HalloronOlwyn MurrayNaomi FoxLaura May LenehanTuam All-Star Gymnastics Club
Week five (The East) The fifth episode was broadcast on 26 September 2009. It featured auditions from the East which saw Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh choose eight acts to compete. Final eight:GoGoshKa KinkladzeRé-SeisiúnThe Golden SistersPyrotechnixNa FiannaKathryn and NiallPaul PowderlyDavid Lofts
Live shows The All-Ireland Talent Show Backstage After the live shows Aidan Power and Dustin chat to the judges before the results to ask about how and why their acts got high or low scores. Then we see a clip of them talking to the acts before the acts performed. After that they talk to the acts live about where they are placing on the leaderboard and give them a chance to plead for votes. A clip would be shown of the two, most of the time spoofing Jedward. A "celebrity" guest would come into studio and talk about the acts and the judges' scores.
Results by region and judge Region & JudgeWinnerFinalists Semi-finalists Wildcard round Region population West – Dáithí Ó Sé 2 4 0504,000 North – Dana 1 1 12,017,000 South – John Creedon 2 2 11,173,000 East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh 1 3 21,106,000 Dublin – Shane Lynch 0 0 41,186,000
Results by show Show results are calculated as follows: Points out of five from judges. Each judge (except for the act's own nominating judge) gives the act a mark out of 10. Thus, each act gets a mark out of 40. The act which gets the highest mark out of 40 gets five points; the second gets four points, the third gets three points, the fourth gets two points and the act with the lowest mark gets one point. Points out of five from the public. The act which gets the most telephone votes gets five points; the second gets four points, the third gets three points, the fourth gets two points and the act with the fewest telephone votes gets one point.
So each act receives a mark out of ten. The acts are then ranked from first to fifth (in the event of a tie on points, the act having more telephone votes is deemed to be ahead).
In the heats:
First place advances to the semi-final round. Second and third place go before the judges. The three judges which did not choose either act vote on which should stay in. The act with more votes from these three judges advances to the wildcard show. The act with fewer votes from these three judges is eliminated. Fourth and fifth place are eliminated.
Live Heat 1 Held on 31 December 2009. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Michael Lawlor Opera tenor South – John Creedon1st Through to Semi-Final Ghetto Fabulous Hip-hop dance troupe Dublin – Shane Lynch2nd/3rdWildcard Show Rachael McCauley Country singer North – Dana 2nd/3rd Eliminated Stall the Digger Band West – Dáithí Ó Sé 4th Eliminated GoGoshKa Kinkladze Pianist East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh 5th Eliminated
Live Heat 2 Held on 3 January 2010. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Ré-Seisiún Traditional music band East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh1st Through to Semi-Final Romey Farrelly Singer Dublin – Shane Lynch2nd/3rdWildcard Show Tom & Eoghan Costello Marionette/dance act West – Dáithí Ó Sé 2nd/3rd Eliminated Cathal Flaherty Guitarist/singer South – John Creedon4th Eliminated Karen Morrison Singer North – Dana 5th Eliminated
Live Heat 3 Held on 10 January 2010. Radio presenter Evelyn O'Rourke took Shane Lynch's place as judge after his flight from London was delayed.Dáithí Ó Sé sparked controversy when he put through the Cloughaneely Marching Band as a wildcard instead of The Golden Sisters. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Tara Burke-McDonnell Sean-nós singer West – Dáithí Ó Sé1st Through to Semi-Final Cloughaneely Marching Band Marching band North – Dana2nd/3rdWildcard Show The Golden Sisters Vocal trio East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh2nd/3rd Eliminated Johnny "Bongos" Horgan Percussionist South – John Creedon 4th Eliminated A Different Unique Comic duo Dublin – Shane Lynch5th Eliminated
Live Heat 4 Held on 17 January 2010. Shane Lynch returned as judge and sparked controversy when he gave Bella Anam a score of three. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Emma O'Sullivan & John O'Halloron Sean-nós dancer and accordion player West – Dáithí Ó Sé1st Through to Semi-Final Bella Anam Singers South – John Creedon2nd/3rdWildcard Show Pyrotechnix Rock band East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh2nd/3rd Eliminated Mark Adamson Musical theatre singer North – Dana4th Eliminated Tumbleweed Traditional band Dublin – Shane Lynch5th Eliminated
Live Heat 5 Held on 24 January 2010. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Olwyn Murray Singer West – Dáithí Ó Sé1st Through to Semi-Final Na Fianna Ballad group East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh2nd/3rdWildcard Show Michelle Skehan Singer South – John Creedon2nd/3rd Eliminated Leonardo López Monreal Singer North – Dana 4th Eliminated Joanna Ryde & The Lads Comic act Dublin – Shane Lynch5th Eliminated
Live Heat 6 Held on 31 January 2010. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Ben Escorcio Singer South – John Creedon1st Through to Semi-Final Chris Geoghegan Singer and guitarist Dublin – Shane Lynch2nd/3rdWildcard Show Kathryn and Niall Singer and guitarist East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh2nd/3rd Eliminated Naomi Fox Singer West – Dáithí Ó Sé4th Eliminated Chasin' Hooley Folk band North – Dana5th Eliminated
Live Heat 7 Held on 7 February 2010. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Chloe Coyle (winner) Singer North – Dana1st Through to Semi-Final Seán Taaffe Dancer Dublin – Shane Lynch2nd/3rdWildcard Show Laura May Lenehan Singer West – Dáithí Ó Sé2nd/3rd Eliminated Ghetto Grannies Dancers South – John Creedon4th Eliminated Paul Powderly Singer East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh5th Eliminated
Live Heat 8 Held on 14 February 2010. David Lofts received 39/40 from the judges the highest score on the show so far. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Tuam All-Star Gymnastics Club Acrobatics West – Dáithí Ó Sé1st Through to Semi-Final David Lofts Singer/guitarist East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh2nd/3rdWildcard ShowLinda FitzgeraldSingerSouth-John Creedon2nd/3rd Eliminated Kailan McDermott Singer North – Dana 4th Eliminated Fiona Hickey and Niall Kinsella Singers Dublin – Shane Lynch 5th Eliminated
Wildcard Show Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result David Lofts Singer/guitarist East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh 1st Through to Semi-Final Na Fianna Ballad group East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh 2nd Through to Semi-Final Cloughaneely Marching Band Marching band North – Dana 3rd Eliminated Romey Farrelly Singer Dublin – Shane Lynch4th Eliminated Chris Geoghegan Singer Dublin - Shane Lynch5th Eliminated Bella Anam Singers South – John Creedon 6th Eliminated Sean Taaffe Ballet Dancer Dublin – Shane Lynch7th Eliminated Ghetto Fabulous Hip-hop dance troupe Dublin – Shane Lynch8th Eliminated
First semi-final Took place on 28 February 2010. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Na Fianna Ballad group East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh Top three Through to final Emma O'Sullivan & John O'Halloron Sean-nós dancer and accordion player West – Dáithí Ó Sé Top three Through to final Michael Lawlor Opera tenor South – John Creedon Top threeThrough to final Tara Burke-McDonnell Sean-nós singer West – Dáithí Ó Sé Bottom twoEliminated Ré-Seisiún Traditional music band East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh Bottom twoEliminated
Second semi-final Held on 7 March 2010. Name Act type Judge & Region Placing Result Olwyn Murray Singer West – Dáithí Ó Sé Top threeThrough to final Chloe Coyle Singer North – Dana Top threeThrough to final Ben Escorcio Singer South – John Creedon Top threeThrough to final David Lofts Singer East – Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh Bottom twoEliminated Tuam All-Star Gymnastics Club Acrobatics West – Dáithí Ó Sé Bottom twoEliminated
Final