A father's love: Longford's Caroline Kiernan and her journey to the Toy Show

Proud dad, Seamus Kiernan, could not be prouder of his daughter, Caroline (12), after her appearance on RTÉ’s The Late Late Toy Show on Friday, December 5. A student of St Teresa’s National School in Killoe, Caroline cut twelve inches off her hair back in June, 2025 for LauraLynn, the charity that has been supporting the family.

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A Christmas jumper day was held in honour of Caroline by the school and it was a welcome surprise for Seamus, who learned of it through the school’s messaging app.

The school lined up to applaud Caroline before her big appearance on national television. One of the schoolteachers, Ms Brady, was a massive part of helping make the appearance possible.

Yet, with her routine known on national television, the efforts behind-the-scenes brought the family great joy.

What started off as a shopping trip to find a confirmation dress for April led to a dress bought in Zara at the Dundrum Shopping Centre as the outfit that Caroline would be wearing on television.

“Ms Brady, is into drama and such. And she announced in September that the auditions for the Toy Show are open. Caroline has watched it the last few years and has said that she’d love to be on it someday. I looked up the application with all the different questions, celebrities she’s into, what she follows.

“Then there was the piece she put in, a video. It had to be done by September 24. I asked the principal if we could use the stage. I brought a phone and a camera tripod.

“She did her routine. I put the application in with a piece written by the teacher. I got the call that they’d love her to do ballet in the parade.”

Seamus went into all the effort to learn how to do Caroline’s hair, in case RTÉ did not do it on the night.

While she practised, he made sure she did not injure her ankle, or get sick. For the Galway audition, he made sure that the car was in working condition, and LauraLynn let them stay over to not be affected by traffic.

Putting in a lot of care, Caroline, although nervous on the day as it is her first experience in the show, performed a beautiful routine.

“It’s been a tough twelve months,” said Seamus. “This morning last year, James (Caroline’s brother) had a cardiac arrest. She walked in when I was doing compressions. You see, he has a disease that killed his mam (the late Bernadette Kiernan (née Ireland) died in 2022 from Danon Syndrome). Caroline saw that again. He’s over it now.”

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Seamus noted how even James enjoyed the Late Late Toy Show, as he is not always comfortable in crowds, but the wonderful, relaxed atmosphere made an enjoyable occasion for the family.

About how Caroline brings joy, Seamus said: “Caroline lifted the family so many times because I’m always in the trenches looking after James, talking to doctors. I’ll nearly forget Halloween and Christmas. She’ll be on about Christmas. It helps me on a number of occasions. It’s given me a reason to get it done for the kids. She is a real warrior. I’m so proud of her.”