Each are now well-known names in their chosen fields, but you might not know that they also enjoyed a taste of the spotlight long before their current careers. Marie Louise McConville (pic byline) delves into some old school scrapbooks to find out
HE may be most recognisable now as the leader of the DUP group in the House of Commons, but Sir Jeffrey Donaldson didn't always perform such an upstanding role.
As a pupil at Kilkeel High School, the future politician enjoyed a starring role in a stage production of Oliver! as the Artful Dodger, the pickpocket who leads a gang of fellow child criminals.
Images of the December 1976 production recently came to light on social media when those involved reminisced about the production.
Sir Jeffrey (58) commented that he "still know all the words of Consider Yourself", while another contributor was quick to point out that the 'Artful Dodger' became an MP!!'.
However, the Lagan Valley MP is not the only well known public figure to have had a spell on stage.
BBC Radio Ulster presenter and Irish News columnist Lynette Fay enjoyed her first taste of fame in P2 when she was cast as Santa in a play at the Convent of Mercy Primary School in Dungannon.
Later, as a lower sixth pupil at St Patrick's Academy in the Co Tyrone town, she auditioned for a part in the school production of My Fair Lady.
Playing the role a dustman, one of Alfie Doolittle's pals, Lynette impressed the audience with her few lines and energetic dance routines.
At the same time, she had also won a part in a production of Oliver! by the Bardic Theatre in Donaghmore, playing the role of Charlotte who works in a funeral home.
Looking back, she said her involvement with amateur dramatics helped her future career.
She also revealed it is something she has thought about "getting back into again".
"There was a big production each year and it was a big deal," she said.
"There would been competition between the schools. I was in My Fair Lady, and Oliver! at the Bardic Theatre. It was an intense few months.
"Mr Devlin and Mr O'Neill were the drama teachers and they did everything in a really professional manner. It was just a really enjoyable experience. They worked everybody really hard and had really high standards."
Lynette said for her role in My Fair Lady she had to dance "about the stage in a pair of my da's old work trousers".
"The costumes were always good craic," she said.
"I remember we had live music as well.
"It was so exciting at that age. You are in a room with your peers and you are finding yourself and pushing yourself and trying to make this work. It was all for the pride of the school. We wanted the Academy to be the best".
The broadcaster said she had always been interested in drama, reading and music, and musicals "just brought everything together".
"It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone," she said.
"I would have felt sick to the gills with the nerves but then on stage, it was different. You walked on stage and embraced what you had to do. You got lost in it.
"It is one of those things you can't see at the time and none of us know exactly what we want to do but when I look back, it all makes sense and it has all helped.
"More than that, it is not just about me. It's about looking around at the amazing people I was working with. I was quietly sitting there in awe of them.
"The rehearsals were probably one of the most exciting parts. That's where you really learn.
"It is something I have thought about getting back into again."
Lynette is not the only Irish News columnist and familiar face from the BBC who enjoyed the spotlight in her school days.
But although he may now be known as one of north best loved comedians, Jake O'Kane's debut on stage was anything but funny.
Born and raised in north Belfast, as a pupil in lower sixth at St Patrick's College, Bearnageeha he found himself thrust into the limelight as the one and only member of its debate team.
The father-of-two said he had no interest in debating, having merely put his name down in an attempt to win the prize of an all-expenses paid trip to New York.
In 1980, the 18-year-old went up against the debating teams of grammar schools from across Northern Ireland at Queen's University - and won.
His school, and in particular his English teacher, Mr O'Neill, was so overjoyed that Bearnageeha offered to host the semi-final round.
Jake recalls it was a very big day for the secondary school.
"The headmaster was there - you would have thought I had won the Nobel Prize," he said.
"It was a big, big deal for them. 'Barney' was a brilliant school. The teachers were superb.
"I was debating against all the Northern Ireland grammar schools. There was no history of debating in secondary schools.
"The semi-final was held on a Saturday so there was safe passage for all the posh kids coming."
Having won the semi-final, Jake and Mr O'Neill travelled to Trinity College in Dublin for the All-Ireland final.
A week before, they found out the topic was Dáil Éireann.
After the debate was moved to a larger auditorium to accommodate the 700 guests, Jake took to the stage but not before glancing at his teacher who "had his head in his hands".
"People could challenge you," he said.
"I didn't find it a big deal".
Jake was duly declared the winner of the All-Ireland Schools Debating Competition.
"I breezed through," he said.
"I didn't care about trophies. I didn't know it was this prestigious thing. I was in it for the prize."
In March 1981, he was flown to New York for a week's holiday, accompanied by a chaperone from Bank of Ireland sponsors.
He got to watch basketball at Madison Square Garden, visit the United Nations and take in the annual St Patrick's Day parade.
Looking back, Jake said he believes his experience on the debating stage helped him with his comedy career.
"Academically and intellectually, I shouldn't have been able to do that sort of stuff," he said.
"It was the first time I had ever stood on the stage. I felt comfortable and when I had this idea to do stand up, it wasn't that big a jump.
"I didn't have stage fright and I wasn't intimidated. Maybe if I had not done the debating, it would have been too much of a jump but because I had that experience of standing in front of 700 people at Trinity, that was the big thing that helped me with the stand-up too."
And Jake O'Kane is not the only person who has found their current career helped by childhood experiences.
Sinn Fein assembly member Sinead Ennis may be considered a rising star within the party but the mother-of-two has long been in the spotlight.
Born and raised in Newry, the 37-year-old, who lives in Derryleckagh with her husband Mark and daughters Aoife (5) and Moya (3), competed in Newry Musical Fèis every year from primary one.
She won numerous honours for verse speaking, including the Inter-Schools Cup in 1997.
When she was in fourth year at St Mary’s High School in Newry, she also auditioned for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and won the part of Judge Thatcher.
"This was the first and only big production our school had put on during my time there, so I remember there being a great deal of excitement," she said.
"The music department, with help from some of the other faculty members, had open auditions and anyone could try out for any of the roles.
"I played Judge Thatcher in the show - a relatively minor role which I was a bit sore about at the time.
"It was an exciting time for everyone at school and rehearsals were a great excuse for getting out of other classes too. A big effort went to getting the sets ready, costumes made for everyone and rehearsals were pretty full on. We certainly were well drilled by our musical director Miss Finnegan".
Sinead recalls that her costume was a teacher's black graduation robe.
"I don’t remember being nervous," she said.
"When I was younger, I had a tremendous amount of self-confidence that I seem to have lost as I’ve gotten older.
"I was used to learning lines and interpreting text from my Fèis experience and I really believed I had figured out Judge Thatcher and couldn’t wait to show that off.
"I had lines and if I remember correctly there was some singing and choreographed dancing for the big musical finish at the end.
"I remember the night my parents and my family came to see the production and feeling really proud of myself. I think my Dad got a great kick out of quoting the play back to me for months after."
Sinead believes the experience helped prepare her for the political spotlight today.
"I’m eternally grateful for all the experience I gained from years of taking part in Newry Fèis," she said.
"It wasn’t necessarily the `coolest' thing to be involved in growing up but for some reason I just loved it. I loved getting sight of that year’s poem and reading it, interpreting it in my own way and going on stage and delivering it.
"I love musicals and musical theatre and I love watching people on stage. There’s something really uniting about a group of people, who may not have known each other before, coming together to make something or achieve something.
"I formed friendships with girls during the production of Tom Sawyer that have lasted to this day."
She added: "I really believe that experience has helped me in my role as a political activist.
"I’m always conscious when I’m speaking, be it to the media, in the assembly chamber or with constituents, that I have to present my arguments in a way that is engaging and helps convey my intentions or my sentiment," she said.
"That’s a skill I learned through years of interpreting other people’s words and writings."
