Two talented boys face each other: Robert Emmet’s Marcus Curran, who appeared on the XtraFactor on Saturday night, in a dramatic pose against Brian Sheerin of Burt, finalist on the All Ireland Talent Show. Photo: Donna McBride
DONEGAL viewers of the hit ITV programme X Factor got the shock of their lives when they tuned into the show’s behind-the-scenes programme, Xtra Factor, on Saturday night.
The programme shows a lot of the auditions that aren’t shown on the main programme and so it was when Presenter Caroline Flack introduced a young man from Donegal called Marcus Curran who knew ‘all about the bacon’ and told the host all about his delivery job.
When the Castlefinn native took to the stage to perform in front of judges Louis Walsh, Tulisa, guest judge Anastacia and Gary Barlow, he proudly proclaimed that he delivered bacon all over County Donegal.
Marcus won the crowd and judges over when it came to his charm, wit and….dance moves, but when it came to his singing of Paolo Nutini’s Pencil Full Of Lead, he split the panel in half.
He came ever so close with two Yes votes from Louis Walsh and Anastacia, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to put the Donegal man through to Bootcamp.
Marcus is well-known in the Finn Valley as a bit of an entertainer, but he is also a talented footballer, playing for his home club Robert Emmett’s (whose sponsor Mcfeely Bros got a national plug when the club bag appeared on screen).
He won an All Ireland Vocational Schools title with Donegal in 2002 when the school boys beat Kerry
0-14 to 0-08 in the final.
You may recognise the names of some of the other panel members : Paul Durcan (Abbey V.S), Neil McGee (PCC Falcarragh), Benny Byrne (Abbey V.S), Patrick Gallagher (Glenties C.S), Eamon McGee (PCC Falcarragh, Karl Lacey (Abbey V,S), Marcus Curran (St Columba’s), Ronan Mac Niallais (Gaoth Dobhair), Paul McGarvey (Rosses C.S.), Joe Sharkey (PCC Falcarragh), Conal Molloy (Killybegs V.S), Odhran Doherty (Carndonagh C.S) Daniel Breslin (Killybegs V.S), Gary Kennedy (Carrick V.S) Michael Doherty (Abbey V.S). Sub: Charlie Tully ( Killybegs V.S).
Nearly ten years ago another Donegal Marcus made the headlines when he appeared on RTÉ’s You’re A Star doing impersonations, but it’s safe to say that there’s a new ‘Mad Marcus’ on the block.