Ireland will begin their Junior Eurovision selection process on September 12th.
It has been confirmed that Ireland’s Junior Eurovision selection show Junior Eurovision Éire will kick off on September 12th, just one day after Georgia. The show will be broadcast over six consecutive weeks, hosted by Louise Cantillon.
As in previous editions, the results of Junior Eurovision Éire will be decided by an in-studio jury of two permanent members and revolving guest judges. The two permanent judges are:
- Niamh Ní Chróinín – Radio presenter, manager of Irish-language youth radio station Raidió Rí-Rá
- Fiachna Ó Braonáin – Member of Hothouse Flowers (interval act at Eurovision 1988), a permanent judge on Junior Eurovision Éire 2016-2018, composer of “Banshee” (Junior Eurovision 2019 Ireland)
The guest judges are all former Irish Eurovision entrants. They are:
- Jedward (2011 and 2012)
- Niamh Kavanagh (1993 Winner, 2010)
- Brian Kennedy (2006)
- Lesley Roy (2020 and 2021)
- Mickey Joe Harte (2003)
- Linda Martin (1984, 1992 Winner)
It is unknown if the format of Junior Eurovision Éire will be the same as the last edition in 2019. From 2015 to 2018, all contestants had to enter with original songs. In 2019, contestants performed Irish cover versions of well-known songs. The entry for Junior Eurovision was then composed after the winner was chosen.
Ireland will return to Junior Eurovision this year after withdrawing in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Their last participation in the contest was in 2019, when Anna Kearney represented the country with “Banshee”.
Junior Eurovision 2021
The 2021 Junior Eurovision Song Contest will take place in La Seine Musicale, Paris, France on Sunday 19th December. The contest will be hosted by France for the first time following Valentina’s victory at the 2020 contest with her song “J’imagine”.
The following nineteen countries will participate in the contest:
- Albania
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan – Sona Azizova
- Bulgaria
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ireland
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Malta
- The Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Poland
- Portugal – Simão Oliveira
- Russia
- Serbia
- Spain
- Ukraine
Source: ADARE Productions | Image source: Thomas Hanses / EBU
Ireland debuted in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest at the 2015 contest in Sofia, Bulgaria. The countries 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 2016 contest in Malta. Ireland was represented by Zena Donnelly with the song “Bríce ar Bhríce”. She finished 10th in the final scoring a total of 122 points, including receiving the country’s first 12 points in the contest.
