Tabby Callaghan

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Tabby Callaghan

| image = Tabby callaghan.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Tabby Callaghan

| website = {{URL|http://www.tabbyocallaghan.co.uk}}

| birth_name = Trevor John O'Callaghan

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1981|4|22}}

| origin = Sligo, Ireland

| genre = Pop, rock

| occupation = Musician

| instrument = Vocals, guitar

| years_active = 1998–present

}}

Tabby Callaghan (born Trevor John O'Callaghan; 22 April 1981, County Sligo, Ireland) is an Irish musician. He was the last contestant eliminated on the first series of The X Factor in 2004.

Early career

Callaghan played in many collectives and groups as a teenager growing up in Sligo. With his brother Dominic he formed his first real band, called Petronella around 1997. The band had some success in Ireland and their single "Feeling So Low" entered the Irish top 20 singles chart.{{cite web|author=|title=Tabby Callaghan profile|work=Red Sun International|url=http://www.redsuninternational.com/bio.htm|access-date=16 October 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060819132126/http://redsuninternational.com/bio.htm|archive-date=19 August 2006}}

''The X Factor''

After Petronella dissolved, Callaghan then formed Boom, later renamed DZ5. DZ5 auditioned for the first series of ITV talent show The X Factor, unaware that the new show's willingness to accept groups only applied to vocal groups. {{citation needed|date=August 2014}}

The panel of judges, Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne, advised Callaghan to re-audition as an individual contestant in order to proceed in the competition. He was selected by Osbourne to be one of her acts at the live shows. He was the last contestant eliminated overall in the semi-final. He later revealed that he had been advised by the show's producers to drop the 'O' in his surname to make it sound more commercial and less Irish.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/SHOWBLITZ%3a+O+yes!+Tabby%27s+a+changed+man.-a0135103638|title=SHOWBLITZ: O yes! Tabby's a changed man|publisher=Thefreelibrary.com|date=14 August 2005}}{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/presspack/2005/08/24/mother-knows-best|title=Mother Knows Best|publisher=Rte.ie|access-date=25 August 2014}}

Post ''X Factor''

After The X Factor, Callaghan participated in a fly-on-the-wall "rockumentary" titled What Tabby Did Next which was shown ITV in August 2005, coinciding with the release of his debut single in Ireland. The single, called "Number One", was originally titled "Holes in My Shoes". The A-side, "Number One", was an original track penned by Callaghan himself and Mark Hudson (who had worked with him on The X Factor). The B-side was a cover of the Slade hit "My Oh My" which had been performed on the show. The single, only released in Ireland, entered the Irish charts at No. 7 in the first week of its release.[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1741835/ Listing for Callaghan on IMDB][http://www.unison.ie/sligo_champion/stories.php3?ca=38&si=1494715&issue_id=13186 "Tabby's coming of age marked by RTE launch of debut sing"], Unison.ie; accessed 25 August 2014.

In 2005, Callaghan performed at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, England. During the gig, Callaghan kicked off his boots in order to play in his bare feet, which is his trademark; however, his boots were taken from the stage by a fan. The Cavern Club management then provided him with an old pair of boots in their office which had been left behind by Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones.

He joined the Belfast CityBeat contest Young Star Search for the 2008 season. {{citation needed|date=August 2014}}