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By Michelle Crean

A young local musician, who has been playing around the town in recent months, has his eyes firmly set on the X Factor prize after auditioning for the hit ITV show.

18 year-old Donal Lucey from Muckross Road, who was inspired to go for a career in music after attending an Ed Sheeran concert when he was 14, is now waiting to hear if he has made it to one of the world’s most popular TV shows to audition live in front of music mogul Simon Cowell.

The talented youngster, who is son of Danny and Joan and brother to Anne and well-known local singer Tom Lucey, was encouraged to audition in Cork recently by Lisa Curran, his music teacher at Voiceworks Studio in Killarney.

And the singer/songwriter, who is currently studying for his Leaving Cert in St Brendan’s College, even plans to release his own music next summer.

“I just went for it,” Donal told the Killarney Advertiser.

“I did three songs with an influence of hip hop and acoustic, ‘Take it Back’ by Ed Sheeran, Passenger’s ‘Let Her Go’, and my own song ‘What Is It About You’. They were interested and seemed to like them, but I won’t know if I have made it further until July.”

Donal is becoming well-known around Killarney town as a regular busker. He has also played in The Shire, McSorleys, K Town and Corkerys, but is currently taking a break until after his final exams are complete.

“I hope to go to the Cork School of Music which is run by CIT – music is really what I want to do. I also hope to release my own songs on iTunes next summer. If I can play a gig and see someone smiling – that’s what it’s all about,” he said.

Check out Donal’s music @donalluceymusic on Facebook, Instagram and Soundcloud.