Posted online: Nov 5th, 2008

The organiser of the first Irish national Elvis Presley impersonator finals in Bundoran said he hopes to develop the event into an annual festival in the resort and make it a contender for the title of Europe’s biggest.
Briton Peter Phillips said facilities in the town were first-rate and support for last weekend’s first event was very encouraging.
Mr Phillips already hosts what’s claimed to be Europe’s biggest annual Elvis festival in Porthcawl, Wales. He also organises Tedfest on Inis Mor in the Arran Islands which commemorates the Fr Ted tv series
He teamed up with “The King’s” tour manager during his last five years, Charles Stone, to organise the Bundoran tribute festival.
A copycat singer who wasn’t even born when Elvis died became Ireland’s official candidate in a search for the world’s best imitator of The King.
Ciaran Houlihan, a 29-year-old with a day job as credit controller with a major oil company, beat six rivals in glittering rhinestone jumpsuits, at the Irish finals when Bundoran was turned into a mini Las Vegas with Elvis look-alikes all over the place during three nights of tribute concerts.
“Elvis” Houlihan will go to the dead star’s Memphis, Tennessee, home town next August as Ireland’s representative in the American final of the worldwide “Images of The King” competition.
Still dripping beads of sweat on to his pale blue jumpsuit and already signing autographs for adoring fans after his winning performance Ciaran exclaimed: “It’s a dream come true.”
He added: “I’m going to represent my country as Elvis in his home town. It doesn’t get better than that.”
Ciaran, from Chapel Farm Lane in Lusk, Co. Dublin, represented Connacht, having won the provincial final in Galway. He entered that when beaten into second place in the Leinster final. Ironically, Leinster winner Liam Murphy – favourite with sponsors Paddy Power – was one of the also-rans in the national final.
There was even an Elvis gaelic football match in the town with up to 25 players on each side just as desperate to hang on to theirPresley wigs as they were to score. Brothers Sean and Brian McEniff were opposing captains.
The game was organised by local man, Raymond Daly, to raise funds for Downs Syndrome and side-line musical entertainment was provided by some of the many Elvis impersonators performing at the concerts in the great Northern Hotel.
Kraig Parker from Dallas, reputed to earn up to $3 million a year as one of the world’s top three professional Elvis imitators, showed the aspiring rivals at a special show on Sunday night just how much they need to do to look and perform like the real Elvis.
(Reporter: Paddy Clancy)