A Kilkenny teenager's talent will be on show for the nation again later today. Enya Cox from Castlecomer, who previously performed on the Late Late Toy Show, is now bidding to represent Ireland in the Junior Eurovision in Madrid, Spain on the 16th of November. The Irish selection for that competition begins on TG4 at 8:30 tonight – here’s a snippet of our local contender (from the 0’40” mark):

The participants of Junior Eurovision Éire 2024, the Irish selection for Junior Eurovision 2024, have been revealed. The first episode of Junior Eurovision Éire 2024 aired tonight. In a completely new format, auditions were shown from Cork, Dublin and Athlone. Louise Cantillon returned to present the show for the fourth year in a row.

The Auditions

The auditions were judged by two permanent judges; broadcaster Niamh Ní Chróinín and singer Tadhg Ó Gríofa, and guest judge Brooke Scullion, who represented Ireland in Eurovision 2022. At the end of the episode, the ten artists who will compete in the live shows were revealed. The competing artists are:

The Ten Finalists

The ten artists will compete in studio shows over the next four weeks. The winner of Junior Eurovision Éire 2024 will represent Ireland in Madrid and will have their entry composed for them after the show. The journey begins on Sunday, September 15 at 8.30pm on TG4.

Ireland's Junior Eurovision History

Ireland debuted in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest at the 2015 contest in Sofia, Bulgaria. The nation’s participation is organised by the Irish-language broadcaster TG4. At the 2015 contest in Bulgaria Ireland was represented by Aimee Banks with the song “Réalta na Mara”, she finished 12th in the final. The country’s best result came at the 2022 contest in Armenia. Ireland was represented by Sophie Lennon with the song “Solas”. She finished 4th in the final, scoring a total of 150 points.

Jessica McKean represented Ireland at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with “Aisling”. She finished last with 42 points. This is Ireland’s worst result in the contest to date.

A New Era for Junior Eurovision

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest is back next week and this year there has been a major shake-up. The hit show will follow the action around the country as hundreds of hopefuls apply for the national auditions. Each contestant hopes to win the hearts of the judges and be in with a chance to sing in the major music competition for young people.

From the many musicians who apply, only ten are chosen to come to the studio and compete for the big prize - the chance to sing for Ireland in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Madrid, Spain later this year.  The judges hold the power to change the lives of the young hopefuls forever.

The Judges

Among the judges is broadcaster, Niamh Ni Chroinin and musician, artist and performer, Tadhg Griffin. Each week, a former legend of Eurovision will also appear on the popular show. This will include many familiar faces such as, 2022’s Brooke Scullion, 1993 winner Niamh Kavanagh and the queen of the Eurovision, Linda Martin. During the six weeks, the show will follow the journey of ten hopefuls until just one singer remains - becoming the brand new Irish entry for the Junior Eurovision Song Conest. 

What to Expect

TG4 shared an exclusive first look clip today with multiple exciting clips from the season. This year's Junior Eurovision Contest will take place on November 16 at Caja Magica in Madrid, Spain. Seventeen countries are set to participate in the huge competition, with Cyprus and San Marino making a return after six, and eight-year absences.

Looking Back at Recent Years

Last year, Jessica McKean represented Ireland with her song, Aisling. The singer performed fourth in the running order, following the entry from Ukraine and preceding the entry from the United Kingdom. Jessica finished in sixteenth place with 42 points. Sophie Lennon represented Ireland with the song, Solas, in 2022 and finished 4th with 150 points, achieving Ireland's best result ever.

The Future of Junior Eurovision

The show will continue to follow the action around the country as hundreds of hopefuls apply for the national auditions. The judges hold the power to change the lives of the young hopefuls forever. The show will follow the journey of ten hopefuls until just one singer remains - becoming the brand new Irish entry for the Junior Eurovision Song Conest.  Only ten will be chosen for the latter stages. This 10 will go on to compete in-studio for the chance to sing for Ireland in this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Who will be the chosen one? It is up to judges Niamh Ní Chróinín, Tadhg Griffin and special guests Niamh Kavanagh, Brooke Scullion and Linda Martin to decide.

A Star is Born

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest is a platform where young musicians can showcase their talent and gain valuable experience. The competition has launched the careers of many successful artists, and it will be exciting to see who emerges as the next star from Ireland. The show has a rich history, and its impact on the careers of those involved is undeniable.

It is exciting to see how the competition will unfold this year, and who will be the next Irish star to light up the stage in Madrid.