Brendan survives double elimination

A contestant with strong Cavan links survived a double elimination on the X Factor last night to make it through to the second week of live shows on the popular TV singing competition.
Plumber Brendan Murray (21), whose dad Frank is from Kildallan in west Cavan, sang Ariana Grande’s ‘Break Free’ on the first of the live shows with his performance splitting the judging panel somewhat.
You can see his performance here.

Robbie Williams described Brendan as having “the perfect Pop voice” but said there was “a lot more to come” from him.
His wife Ayda agreed. “Your voice is so unique and enchanting, completely different from anyone else in the competition – you smashed it,” she told Brendan.
Simon Cowell was a bit more critical. Too boos from the audience, he remarked: “The first minute was really boring until you hit the big note. I didn’t love the song, I like you but this is not something I’m going to remember in an hour’s time.”
He was told to “pipe down” by Louis Tomlinson, Brendan’s mentor in the Boys Category.
Addressing Brendan, Louis of One Direction fame, himself a product of the TV talent competition, said:

The talented Brendan is already well known in music circles, having represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2017.
He is also a former member of the Irish boyband 'Hometown', which announced an indefinite hiatus in December 2016.
 
His dad Frank (72), spoke to The Anglo-Celt last week ahead of Brendan’s first live TV performance on the X Factor.
“At my age it’s hard to get excited by much. We just wish him well and look forward to seeing him do the best he can. We're all very proud of him here,” says Tuam-based Frank, who worked for over 35 years with the former Quinn Group. “I said to him ‘if you don't have a crack at these things, you'll regret them for the rest of your life. So go where it takes you and, when you're finished with it, you can always come home and plumb. It’s as good a profession to have as anything else’.”