Colm Keegan began his love affair with singing behind a songbook as a church choirboy in Dublin.
Now the 24-year-old is a member of Celtic Thunder, the internationally successful Irish singing group that is bringing its biggest show yet, Mythology, to Australia in May.
The Mythology DVD debuted at number one on the ARIA chart and remained on the chart for 25 weeks.
Mythology is a mix of traditional Irish favourites like Danny Boy, covers, and original compositions like Voices, written by musical director David Munro.
"What makes the show special is the diversity in the genres that we do perform," Keegan says.
Among his songs in the show, Keegan performs a cover of Paul Simon's song the Sound of Silence, which was written after John F. Kennedy's assassination in the 1960s.
"It is difficult in a sense that you're going to be automatically compared to one of the greatest songwriters of all time straight away," Keegan says.
"(But) I am very fortunate to sing one of my favourites songs."
Keegan, who was a lead soloist in the Palestrina Choir, began singing when he started speaking and his siblings all sang and played the guitar and piano.
"Music in Ireland is second nature I think to every family and ours was no different," he says.
Before joining Celtic Thunder he sang in the Celtic Women choir and travelled with them throughout the US, Europe and Japan for a year.
"That transition of standing in the back of a cathedral with a folder and a robe and looking at a conductor to the stage was kind of ... too much for me to go from that to the forefront of a Celtic Thunder show.
"So I've been very lucky to have the opportunity to learn from the girls in Celtic Women and then learn from the guys in Celtic Thunder as well."
It will be Keegan's first trip Down Under.
"I think I'm the only person in Ireland who hasn't been to Australia," he says.
During the Celtic Thunder tour to Australia group members plan to pay homage to 46-year-old principal singer George Donaldson, who died from a heart attack in his Glasgow home last month.
CELTIC THUNDER 2014 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES:
May 12 - Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart
May 13 - Princess Theatre, Launceston
May 17 - Townsville Entertainment Centre
May 18 - Mackay Convention Centre
May 20 - Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton
May 21 - Brolga Theatre, Maryborough
May 23 - Brisbane Entertainment Centre
May 24 - Jupiters Casino Theatre, Gold Coast
May 25 - Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre
May 27 - Newcastle Entertainment Centre
May 28 - WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
May 30 - The Star Event Centre, Sydney
May 31 - Royal Theatre, Canberra
June 1 - Albury Entertainment Centre
June 3 - Bendigo Stadium
June 4 - Ballarat Wendouree Performing Arts Centre
June 6 - Geelong Arena
June 7 - The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
June 9 & 10 - Adelaide Entertainment Centre
June 12 - The Boardwalk Theatre, Mandurah
June 13 - Perth Arena
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