Meath magician Cillian O’Connor (13) dreams of Britain’s Got Talent glory

The 13-year-old wowed the judges, most notably Simon Cowell, in the first round with his illusions, showmanship and powerful message.

Cillian, who has autism and dyspraxia, also touched the hearts of millions of viewers while discussing how magic gave him the courage to interact with others. “I’ve learned that having autism is not a disability, it’s an ability,” he said during his performance.

He earned four ‘yeses’ from the judges and a standing ovation from the audience.

Cillian lives in Donacarney, near Mornington, with parents Elaine and Richie and younger sister Casey. He is in school at Drogheda Grammar and the day after his BGT performance aired, Cillian got a special mention at assembly, while his exploits also earned his class a night without homework.

Cillian said while planning his routine, he was mindful of including “as much about as much about my autism and dyspraxia as possible”.

“Just so people knew that I had autism and I was very shy, and I struggled with my social skills, but I was brave enough to go on stage, in front of 4,000 people - as well as Simon [Cowell] and Amanda [Holden] and Alesha [Dixon] and Bruno [Bruno Tonioli] - and just nail it,” he told Independent.ie.

When he was 10-years-old, Cillian became the youngest ever member of the Society of Irish Magicians.

He honed his skills in recent years by performing magic tricks for people in his front garden, to “raise their spirits” during the Covid-19 lockdowns. BGT was not his first time performing in front of a large crowd, as he previous entertained music fans at the Fleadh.

In the run up to his biggest show yet, Cillian practiced tirelessly at home.

He was “most nervous” to impress Simon Cowell. To get over his fear, sister Casey would role play as the head judge while Cillian fine-tuned his act in their living room.

Mother Elaine said, “magic has literally changed his life” and he is proof that, “if you really want something bad enough, you know you can overcome your fears”.

When asked what advice he would have for other people who struggle with their social skills, Cillian said: “They should try to find something to help them express themselves… It could be magic, it could be music, it could be any skill they could have that would get them known to the world.”

The four ‘yeses’ from the BGT judges were never doubt, but now the teenager must wait to see if he has earned a coveted spot in the live rounds.

Cillian, said anything after the stage performance is a “bonus” but he is still setting his sights the top spot.

“I would cry for about 10 minutes straight if I won the competition… It would be an amazing achievement to win Britain’s Got Talent and to perform at the Royal Variety Show,” he added.