Oran McConville found fame as a child when his school choir took part in popular show Britain’s Got Talent on ITV – and the group managed to reach the semi-final stage
A teenager who wowed audiences on Britain’s Got Talent has died aged just 18.
Oran McConville passed away just weeks after his father died in a third tragedy for his family. Oran, who found fame as a child when his school choir took part in 2017 series of the ITV show, suffered fatal injuries in a car crash in the early hours of Saturday morning. His family were already rocked by the death of Oran’s dad Paddy on February 21.
And, in a further cruel tragedy, Oran’s “happy, intelligent” 11-year-old sister Rachael was also killed after being knocked down by a Volkswagen people carrier in around 2009. This was some years before Oran’s appearance on Britain’s Got Talent when his choir at St Patrick’s Primary School in County Down, Northern Ireland, reach the semi finals. Pianist Tokio Myers eventually won the gong in that series, which aired in 2017.
Speaking at his Requiem Mass, in Drumgath, County Down, parish priest Fr Charles Byrne said: “Oran’s tragic death early on Saturday morning has brought devastating shock and grief to his family, to his friends, to our local community here and the wider community around it.
“As we all know, just six weeks ago we were here for Oran’s father Paddy and 16 years ago you had the death of young Rachael. At this time we are all lost for words. Words are woefully inadequate to express the pain and the sorrow in our hearts that we have for you.”
When Oran and his pals performed Somewhere Only We Know by Keane in their audition on Britain’s Got Talent, Simon Cowell said: “You are having a good time, and that is the most important thing. That was a great audition.”
Speaking about the experience, Fr Byrne continued: “This was a very enjoyable time for Oran and for his friends at the school. He was a natural performer and years later was able to look back on those times with fun and laughter. His love of music continued to grow. He leant to play the guitar, loved going to concerts.”
The youngest of three children, he was described as the “baby of the family… who got away with more mischief than most”. Fr Byrne added: “With a smile like his, who could be cross for long.” He said that he looked up to his older brother Shea as a “hero” and they had an “unbreakable bond”.
Colleagues at Milestone petrol station, where his mother also works, said that Oran was “full of talent, kindness, and an infectious positivity”.
Drumgath GAC, the Gaelic Athletics club where he had played since he was a boy and later coached at, said: “Orán was so much more than a young man – he was a bright light in our community. Kind, gentle, full of humour, and always up for a chat, Oran had that rare ability to make everyone feel at ease in his company.
“He had time for people, young and old, and brought joy to those lucky enough to have known him. Whether it was on the football pitch or in the heart of the community, Oran carried himself with warmth, respect, and quiet charm.”
