‘Opinions are like noses’: Limerick's Paudie brushes aside critics ahead of DWTS final

IN KILMALLOCK, the build-up to the final of Dancing with the Stars has been compared to the run-up to an All-Ireland.

At the centre of the excitement is local man Paudie Moloney, who says the overwhelming support he has received across the country far outweighs the criticism that has followed his unlikely run to the final of the RTÉ show.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s finale on RTÉ’s flagship entertainment show, Paudie insisted that the reaction he encounters in everyday life tells a very different story from the online debate about whether he belongs in the final.

“I haven’t paid much attention to it,” Paudie said when asked about claims that his popularity with viewers — rather than dancing ability — has kept him in the competition. “Nobody has come up to me in the street and said something negative. It has all been positive.”

READ MORE: 'Judges’ votes should override': Liveline debates Paudie’s popularity as Limerick man dominates DWTS

The retired prison officer acknowledged the show has been physically demanding but said the journey has otherwise been overwhelmingly positive. “Physically it has been a hard journey because it’s a big commitment."

In recent weeks, some viewers have suggested that technically stronger contestants have been eliminated while Paudie progressed through public votes. He shrugged off the criticism, saying "opinions are like noses."

“Everybody has one... People are entitled to speak. I just don't have to listen."

The Kilmallock man — who has never faced a dance-off with the judges — admits that if he had, his chances might have been slim. "If I was in a dance-off, it was good luck and thanks to Paudie... I got lucky," stated Paudie. 

Professional partner Laura Nolan argued that the debate misunderstands the nature of the programme, which blends performance and personality rather than functioning as a strict dance contest.

“In the competitive dance world, amateurs and professionals are never directly compared,” she said. “But in this show they are. It’s an entertainment show, and everyone brings their own unique aspect to it.”

Paudie didn't expect to stay in the competition beyond three or four weeks. "What it means to me is everything because I'm going to throw everything at it, like I've always done... We'll enjoy it, and I will be dancing my heart out."

His journey to the final has also been personal. Paudie revealed he underwent back surgery during the Covid-19 pandemic after severe pain left him unable to walk across a room.

"I've never looked back," said Paudie. It's been the best thing I've ever done. The hips were debilitating but they weren't as bad as this, so I'm really pleased with how that has turned out."

Support from Paudie's hometown of Kilmallock has been particularly strong. Laura described the atmosphere locally as “like the build-up to an All-Ireland,” while Paudie said he has received letters addressed simply to “Paudie Moloney, Dancing With the Stars, Kilmallock, Co Limerick.”

“They don't know my address, so they send the cards to wish me the best and to tell me that I am doing the seniors proud in this country.

Paudie also revealed that his wife Bernadette is fascinated that he is still in the competition. "She loves this show... so she's invested and she's delighted. And she'll actually be delighted it's over because we were happy in retirement, to be honest, and we spent a lot of time together, and now we've been kind of slightly separated again on a daily basis. That was strange for us."

The Dancing with the Stars finalist would love to win the competition but doesn't fancy his chances.

“I've come here not with any expectation of winning this competition. I came here to enjoy it and to entertain, and that's what I'm trying to do to the best of my ability. I'm never going to be twenty-one again and jumping around the floor... The amount of people that approached me just this morning on the train, on the Luas, it was just phenomenal, the amount of goodwill and the amount of support I'm getting."

Instead, Paudie plans simply to savour the moment. "I should never have gotten this opportunity. I will definitely never again get it. I'm just going to enjoy this."

He continued: "It has actually shown the credibility in the show that they're not hiding anything, that if somebody is popular, that they win it.... I never set out to be a popular person."

Following the final of Dancing with the Stars, Paudie plans to rest and put his feet up. "I'm going to to rest those ankles because they are creaking."

Paudie secured a coveted spot in the Dancing with the Stars final after receiving his best score to date in the competition in the semi-final.

Paudie and Laura will throw back to Week 4 and Country Week with a Quickstep to ‘Stop the World and Let Me Off’ by Declan Nerney in the grand finale on Sunday. The couple will then perform a second 'Showdance' routine, a freestyle performance that allows them to combine different dance styles to showcase the creativity, skills and storytelling abilities they’ve learned throughout their journey.

All eight eliminated celebrities will return on the night, including Michael Fry, Brian Kennedy, Amber Wilson, Anne Cassin, Niamh Kavanagh, Stephanie Kelly, Philip Doyle and Jordan Dargan. The contestants and their pro partners will return a very special one-off comeback performance to Myles Smith’s ‘Stay (If You Wanna Dance)’.

The Dancing with the Stars Grand Finale airs on Sunday at 6.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.