World Renowned Vocal Supergroup Celtic Thunder Cultivates the Talent of Young Star on the Rise Damian McGinty as He Takes His Next Step as a Contender on "The Glee Project" Premiering June 12th on Oxygen

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Jun 06, 2011, 01:49 ET

NEW YORK, June 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With their worldwide appeal, Celtic Thunder is at the forefront of developing and showcasing the new talent coming out of Ireland and Scotland. The youngest member of Celtic Thunder, Damian McGinty has been selected as one of the Top 12 contenders out of 40,000 hopefuls who competed for a coveted spot on "The Glee Project." The winner of the show will be cast in a seven-episode guest role in season three of hit show "Glee" on Fox. "The Glee Project" premieres Sunday, June 12th on Oxygen at 9PM ET (http://thegleeproject.oxygen.com).

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After selling over one million CDs to date with his group Celtic Thunder and traveling the world, the 18-year-old McGinty is no stranger to success. He joined Celtic Thunder at the tender age of 14 in 2007 and has seen the group increasingly gain popularity in the US due to their constant touring schedule, four hit Public Television specials and multiple national television show appearances. Celtic Thunder's rabid fan base flood their official YouTube channel, "Thunder Tube" which has received nearly 19 million upload views since its inception in 2008 while Damian has thousands of fans following his personal Facebook page and Twitter feed. Most recently Celtic Thunder's new album, Heritage, was ranked #1 on the Billboard World Album Chart and this Fall the group will embark on a 45 city tour to support it. For more information on tour dates go to: www.celticthunder.com

From the message boards on "The Glee Project's" website, the fresh-faced lad is already making girls swoon with his deep blue eyes and rich baritone. To view performances of the talented and charismatic Damian McGinty click here http://cms.celticthunder.ie/node/811003. Click here to see the first music video from "The Glee Project" kids as they give their own spin on Katy Perry's "Firework": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOLiI6sE1KE

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SOURCE Decca Label Group