The Corrs star Sharon in tears after Ryanair 'refused' to let singer board flight

Sharon Corr has unleashed a scathing attack on Ryanair, claiming she was "humiliated" after being denied boarding on her flight to Ireland due to her violin. The 54 year old Irish musician was set to jet from Madrid to Dublin for rehearsals with The Corrs but alleged she was turned away at the gate because of her instrument.

After a gruelling seven-hour wait at the airport, Sharon vented her frustration in an online tirade aimed directly at Ryanair's chief, stating: "Today I was booked on a Ryanair flight. I got up at 6 in the morning. I was not allowed on the flight because I had my violin."

"I was in the airport for 7 hours. I had to return home after searching for my checked in bags. Humiliated, angry, then crying as only a good woman can do. Why was I going to Dublin? My home turf, to rehearse, to go on tour! I'm beyond disappointed. Michael O'Leary shame on you."

Ryanair's policy, as per their official website, allows for musical instruments within cabin bag dimensions. Their guidelines specify: "You can carry any music equipment with you onboard as long as it fits within your Cabin Bag allowance."

"For smaller music equipment like guitars or violins that exceed your cabin baggage dimensions, you can opt to pay an extra seat fare for it. To do this, you must purchase an extra flight ticket and seat."

An airline spokesperson told Express.co.uk that the violin owned by Sharon surpassed the permitted cabin bag dimensions.

"This passenger was not refused travel from Madrid to Dublin," they stated.

"This passenger’s violin exceeded the cabin bag dimensions permitted for her flight, and therefore was required to pay a standard gate baggage fee to place it in the hold of the aircraft. This passenger refused to pay the standard fee and instead chose not to travel on this flight.”

Sharon has since taken to her social media account and hit back at Ryanair, saying: "I offered to buy a seat for my violin and was refused! You cannot place a violin in the hold as obviously it is a fragile instrument. I was refused by them to travel."

As violinist and backing vocalist, Sharon rose to prominence in the band she formed in 1990 with sisters Andrea, 49, and Caroline, 50, and brother Jim, 59.

Sharon, who also played piano, was the band’s instrumental powerhouse.

She relocated to Madrid with her husband Robert 'Gavin' Bonnar and their two children in 2018, almost 25 years after becoming a household name with The Corrs.