PICTURES: Dancers with Tipperary connections shine on Dancing with the Stars special

Two contestants in the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars, who have ties to South Tipperary, performed last night on the much-anticipated Dancing with the Stars Dedicated Dance Special.

It was an emotional show in which contestants paid tribute to people who have made an impact on their lives and dedicated a dance to them.

Philip Doyle, who won a bronze Olympic rowing medal with Clonmel’s Dara Lynch in Paris last year, performed on the show with his pro partner Daniela Roze.

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Philip hails from Banbridge in county Down but his great-grandfather was Bill Hyland from Clonmel, a renowned local athlete and cyclist in the 1930s and 1940s, who won All-Ireland titles in the hammer throw.

Doyle dedicated his dance to his mother Una as he and his pro partner Daniela Roze danced a Samba to ‘Dancing Queen’ by Abba.

Philip explained that he dedicated his dance to his mother because over the last ten years it has just been the two of them.

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“My father passed away from pancreatic cancer the first year I started rowing, she’s been my support and I think she just deserves some kudos for her part in the last ten years.”

Philip’s mother told viewers how proud she was of her son. “I’m very proud of him, not just of what he has achieved, but the person he’s become.”

Philip said he was dedicating the dance to Una because it was only right to acknowledge the strength and the spirit she has put into me over the last ten years.”

The ABBA song was chosen because both of Philip’s parents were huge ABBA fans and they saw a concert by the band while they were dating.

Judges said that the duo committed to the whole number beautifully and that they ‘certainly embraced the cheese-fest’ with the ABBA number. They received a respectable 19 points.

The second contestant to perform who also has a connection to Tipperary was The Apprentice UK star Jordan Dargan.

Jordan has said previously that he has spent many summers on holidays in Clonmel and his grandfather, Jerry Dargan, lives in Fethard.

His grandmother was the late Barbara Dargan. His uncle, Tommy Purcell, works at Coolmore. The rest of the Dargan family locally are based in Clonmel, having originally hailed from Baron Park.

He dedicated his dance to his mam Ruth. He and his pro partner Rebecca Scott performed an American Smooth to ‘The Voyage’ by Christy Moore.

“I’m dedicating this dance to my Mam, Ruth,” explained Jordan. “She’s always been in my corner and she’s never held me back from wanting to chase my dreams, and become who I want to be.

"I just want to be able to, even if it’s a small gesture like this, give back and show her how grateful I am,” said Jordan.

Explaining the song choice, Jordan says that the song is a meaningful one for his family as his Nan was buried to this song. “You and Nana were two women in my life that really formed me into who I am today,” Jordan told his Mom Ruth on the show.

Jordan and his pro partner wowed the judges, with one judge describing Jordan’s dancing as ‘the gift that keeps on giving’.

Judges also described the dance as a brave choice for a piece of music for the show due to the song being so well known and a bit of an anthem for families all over Ireland.

“To take that on is very brave” said judge Brian Redmond.

Overall, the duo wowed the judges with their creative performance to Christy Moore, with judge Arthur Gourounlian calling it “absolutely breathtaking.”

The duo received an amazing 39 points.