Katelyn Cummins Dedicates Final Dance To Her Mum As Favourite To Win Dancing With The Stars
With the Dancing With The Stars final set for tonight, katelyn cummins says her only regret is taking the spotlight from her mother on Mother’s Day — even as she heads into the show as the favourite to lift the glitterball trophy.
Katelyn Cummins On Balancing The Spotlight And Family
The 21-year-old apprentice electrician from Ballyouskill, Co Kilkenny, said she is dedicating her grand-final routine to her mum, Siobhan. “It’s a perfect fit really for Mother’s Day, ” she said, adding, “I hate to be taking the spotlight away from her on Mother’s Day being in the Dancing With The Stars final, but I think she’ll be immensely proud to have it on a day that means so much to her as well. ”
She described her mother as her inspiration, highlighting how Siobhan encouraged her to live life to the fullest. “My mam always lived life to the fullest. She travelled to America and Australia when she was in her 20s, studied to become a hairdresser before that, ” she said. “She pursued what career she wanted to do, didn’t listen to anybody and she influenced me to have that mindset as well. ”
Reflecting on growing up with a genetic hearing disability, she said her mother taught her to ignore stigma and believe in herself. “People put a stigma on to somebody with a disability, ” she noted, adding that Siobhan showed her how to push boundaries and set her own path.
Final Line-Up And Why She’s The Favourite
The current Rose of Tralee will compete for the glitterball against Tolu Makay, Paudie Moloney and Eric Roberts. She and professional partner Leonardo Lini secured their place in the final after impressing the judges last week with a century-old Charleston.
Momentum has positioned her as the odds-on favourite to win the competition. The Laois Rose remains widely tipped heading into the last show, having combined crowd-pleasing choreography with steady judges’ scores in recent weeks.
What’s Next After The Show
katelyn cummins plans to resume her Rose of Tralee duties once the series concludes, saying her fellow Roses from last year have been strongly supportive throughout her time on the dancefloor.
She also reflected on how much has changed in a short period. A year ago, she was sitting her final college exams in Tullamore and had quietly applied to be the Laois Rose, keeping the bid a secret until the outcome was known. Now, as the reigning Rose of Tralee and a finalist on one of the country’s biggest entertainment stages, she says the journey has been transformative.
For all the excitement of the finale, the Mother’s Day dedication remains central to her motivation. With a routine set in honour of the woman she credits with shaping her outlook, Katelyn heads into the last show with both personal meaning and competitive momentum behind her.
