Irish language broadcaster Teilifís na Gaeilge (known as TG4) has signed up to take part in Junior Eurovision 2015, the exact location of which will be revealed on Wednesday 25 March.
TG4, together with Adare Productions, will launch a nationwide search for talent aged 10-15, with the ultimate aim of performing an Irish-language song on the Junior Eurovision stage in November. It will therefore be the first time an Irish language song has been performed on the Eurovision stage since 1972, when Sandie Jones sang "Ceol an Ghrá" at the Eurovision Song Contest.
"Obviously we are over the moon that a country such as Ireland, with their strong Eurovision Song Contest tradition, will finally be taking part in Junior Eurovision," said Executive Supervisor Vladislav Yakovlev. "We have actually been talking to them since the summer of last year and spoke about TG4 joining the 2014 edition, and although that wasn't possible it is great that they'll be with us this year!"
Auditions open - sign up now!
Auditions will be held at key venues around Ireland, but applications can be made to take part now! Anyone interested in taking part should ask their parents, as required by Irish law, to fill out the application form on TG4's website: here (in English) or here (in Irish).
About TG4
Teilifís na Gaeilge has been on air since 1996, and is a free-to-air channel across the entire island of Ireland. An average of 650,000 viewers a day watch TG4 in the Republic of Ireland, with this figure exceeding one million people on major viewing days like Christmas Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Annually TG4 invests over €20m in original Irish programming, and provides a daily programme schedule in Irish for children and young people. Both the Cúla4 zones, and the Ponc strands for young adults, provide a wide range content in Irish, and represent a daily point of contact with the Irish language.
