Sinead Quinn of Fame Academy, erm, fame
Long time listener, first time caller.

For a little bit of background, I live just outside a one-horse town. It's lovely in it's own way, but it's a little quiet.

Anyway, the town with one horse, or Irvinestown as it shall be known, was home to flash in the pan songstress Sinead Quinn. Pleasant woman in truth, but when she got onto Fame Academy, it all went batshit crazy, in small town terms.

Merchandise was sold in damn near each and every shop. Flags and banners were made and liberally plastered across streets. A 16-page pull-out was featured the local newspaper. It was like the 3rd coming of Christ. Every sign that marked the town was changed to 'Sineadstown'. Anyone travelling to Irvinestown was truly baffled. If anybody, correctly, called the town by it's proper name, they were scoffed at and shunned like a leper with bells on.

Of course, like the hardened 12-year old cynic that I was in 2002, i didn't bow to this name changing jiggery-pokery. Nor did I buy a commemorative tshirt. I did however go to her 'homecoming'. Under the pretence that i'd get in a ladys' pants. That i did, but a few years later.

Anyway, long story short, she came second and came home only to be viewed as an abject failure in the eyes of many. She fell from the view of the public quicker than SARS.

Consequently, she became an alcoholic. And married one of The Feeling.
(Actually, because of this, i've had nights out with many of The Feeling, and Sophie Ellis Bextor. They're extremely good company, would you believe.)
(KneelDiamond, Fri 17 Apr 2009, 23:30, Reply)