'My mum's got the X Factor' - son supports his mother at Irish X Factor auditions

Ben Johnston from Hollywood,Co.Down who encouraged his mum Laura ( who got through to the nex round) to audition for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

Ben Johnston from Hollywood,Co.Down who encouraged his mum Laura ( who got through to the nex round) to audition for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

Niamh O'Shea, Clonlaragh, Co Clare, and Owen Alfred, Limerick, who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

Annie Finnegan, Carlingford, Co Louth who got through to the next round in the auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

Keelin McGinn, Dungarvan, Co Waterford (left) and Femke Hendriks,who travelled from Amtersdam in Holland who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

Triplets Katherine Maguire,(centre) from Wexford who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday, pictured with her sisters Ellen (left) and Ciara .Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

Annie Finnegan, Carlingford, Co Louth who got through to the next round in the auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

Sarah Molloy,Clondalkin (left) and Niamh Dungan,Saggart,Co.Dublin who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

Cian Riordan from Cork who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

From left....Christian Rosenberg,Limerick,Owen Alfred,Limerick,Niamh O'Shea,Clonlaragh,Co.Clare and Ronan O Nuallain,Limerick who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

thumbnail: Ben Johnston from Hollywood,Co.Down who encouraged his mum Laura ( who got through to the nex round) to audition for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
thumbnail: Ben Johnston from Hollywood,Co.Down who encouraged his mum Laura ( who got through to the nex round) to audition for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
thumbnail: Niamh O'Shea, Clonlaragh, Co Clare, and Owen Alfred, Limerick, who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
thumbnail: Annie Finnegan, Carlingford, Co Louth who got through to the next round in the auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
thumbnail: Keelin McGinn, Dungarvan, Co Waterford (left) and Femke Hendriks,who travelled from Amtersdam in Holland who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
thumbnail: Triplets Katherine Maguire,(centre) from Wexford who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday, pictured with her sisters Ellen (left) and Ciara .Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
thumbnail: Annie Finnegan, Carlingford, Co Louth who got through to the next round in the auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
thumbnail: Sarah Molloy,Clondalkin (left) and Niamh Dungan,Saggart,Co.Dublin who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
thumbnail: Cian Riordan from Cork who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
thumbnail: From left....Christian Rosenberg,Limerick,Owen Alfred,Limerick,Niamh O'Shea,Clonlaragh,Co.Clare and Ronan O Nuallain,Limerick who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015
Kirsty Blake Knox

Aspiring singers flocked to Croke Park today to see if they had what it takes to compete in ultimate talent show ‘The X Factor’.

Producers of the popular entertainment show are currently scouring the country to find this year’s Rylan Clark, Chico or Mary Byrne.

Triplets Katherine Maguire,(centre) from Wexford who auditioned for X Factor at Croke Park yesterday, pictured with her sisters Ellen (left) and Ciara .Pic Tom Burke 8/4/2015

Singers and song writers travelled the length and breadth of the country to attend the auditions.

Nursery school nurse, Laura Johnston, had driven down from Holywood in County Down to sing her heart out.

“I was so nervous,” she said. “I sang My Funny Valentine and am through to the next round.”

“I told my son Ben I was thinking of going for the audition and he said; ‘Mum – YOLO’. So I went for it. Turns out he was right.”

But it wasn’t all good news and many hopefuls were sent home - their dreams of making it to boot camp or hanging out in Simon Cowell’s chateau cruelly dashed.

Katherine Maguire (18) from Wexford arrived with her triplet sisters in tow.

“I didn’t get through,” she said. “It was really nerve wracking. The producers were nice but some people were crying after they auditioned.”