PROLOGUE: Shaking like a leaf in the wind, Mary is in her dressing room backstage at the X Factor with her mentor Louis Walsh before her first live show. She is remembering the journey of her life up to this moment. The heartaches, struggles and unfulfilled ambitions and dreams. Now her life is about to change if only she can believe in herself and find her confidence. CHAPTER 1: STREETS OF BALLYFERMOT Mary's background, born into a poor family who live in a tough, working class suburb of Dublin city. She is reared by loving parents who struggle to make ends meet. CHAPTER 2: SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS More happy stories and painful memories from her childhood. She is bullied at school.
Her first setback as a singer when she is turned down for a role in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs because of her looks - an incident that left her scarred. CHAPTER 3: SISTER MARY Mary is so inspired by a young novice nun who becomes her temporary teacher at school she decides she wants to join a religious order. But at the age of 16 she runs away from home, finds work in a factory and starts a relationship with a 23-year-old man. CHAPTER 4: RUNAWAY BRIDE At the age of 21 Mary is engaged to be married. But she is also curious to explore the world and has dreams of being a singer. Three weeks before her wedding, Mary flees to Spain. CHAPTER 5: THE KIBBUTZ Mary spends a year living on a kibbutz in Israel, mixing with different races and enjoying a romance "with a gorgeous guy." CHAPTER 6: A THREE WAY LOVE AFFAIR Back home Mary falls madly in love with a man from her native Ballyfermot, but the relationship turns to heartache when she discovers he is seeing someone else.
Besotted with the man, she keeps returning to him. The relationship finally ends when she falls pregnant and he refuses to have anything to do with his child. CHAPTER 7: DEBORAH The love of her life - Mary's daughter Deborah is born and she rears her as a single mum, living in a small council house and struggling to survive. CHAPTER 8: BEAUTIFUL NOISE Listening to the music of some of her favourite performers, including Shirley Bassey and Neil Diamond, Mary yearns to be on stage. When Neil Diamond plays major outdoor concerts at Lansdowne Road in Dublin she can't afford the price of a ticket to the show. Her brother Tommy eventually starts her on the road to fame singing karaoke. CHAPTER 9: X FACTOR Mary is working on the check out desk at Tesco when the X Factor auditions are announced for Ireland. Her niece Elaine enters her, daughter Deborah makes the tea and sandwiches and she camps out at the auditions.
CHAPTER 10: LOUIS AND SIMON What went on behind-the-scenes on her amazing X Factor journey as the drama unfolded week by week in front of 20 million viewers in the UK and Ireland. CHAPTER 11: THE X FACTOR TOUR Mary is hailed as an inspirational character by people grappling with their own problems and struggles in life. And she is mobbed by fans of all ages as she hits the road with the young X Factor stars. CHAPTER 12: A SUPERSTAR IS BORN Mary's first album is a number one hit, she sings for the Queen of England on her historic visit to Ireland, lands a starring role in Grease the Musicalâ¦and she supports her idol NEIL DIAMOND on stage at Aviva Stadium.