TG4 BECOMES the home of Country and Irish music once again when Galway-made Glór Tíre, the station’s long-running, hit music series, returns on Tuesday March 12 at 9.30pm.
The show, which celebrates its 20th season this year, will see eight contestants battle it out for the coveted title of Ireland’s Glór Tíre Country Music Champion 2024.
This year’s contenders are Effie Neill (Cork ), Alistair Fingleton (Kildare ), Karl Kirkpatrick (Fermanagh ), Jason McCahill (Donegal ), Gerard Gormley (Tyrone ), Chelsea Evans (Donegal ), Shannan Carroll (Meath ), and Jenny Hanlon (Louth ).
Each contestant on Glór Tíre is mentored by an established Country and Irish artist, and guiding the eight hopefuls through Season 20 will be Michael English, Johnny Brady, Jim Devine, and Co Galway’s own Country star, Claudia Buckley.
Glór Tíre is widely recognised as essential to the lifeblood of Country and Irish music and as a vital platform for both emerging and established artists.
“I feel very privileged that I’m mentoring on Glór Tíre,” says Michael English. “It’s also great exposure for me and the band. The amount of people we meet at concerts who watch the show, and the strangers who stop you on the street and say, ‘I saw you last night on Glór Tíre’ is huge. I’m delighted to be a part of it.”
For Johnny Brady, Glór Tíre is one of the few shows to recognise the place of Country music in Irish life.
“It’s great because it’s Irish speaking and it’s getting Country music on TV,” he says. “You don’t get much Irish Country music on TV and that’s a shame as it’s a big culture. Country music is in our DNA. No matter how long you are on the road, or how many gigs you have done, it’s good to put yourself out there, so for me, and for the contestants, Glór Tíre is a great platform.”
While Glór Tíre has a loyal following from Country music fans and is enjoyed by audiences on both sides of the border, the long-running show is also a Co Galway phenomenon.
Glór Tíre is produced by Galway production company, Gael Media. It is shot in Studio Telegael An Tullach and broadcast on Ireland’s national Irish language station, TG4, both located in Baile na hAbhann, Connemara.
Glór Tíre will be broadcast on March 12,19 ; 26 and April 9, 16, 23 at 9.30pm, and presented by Aoife Ní Thuairisg. The judges will be RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta’s Jó Ní Chéide and Caitriona Ní Shuilleabháin, along with guest judges, Eddie Rowley (Sunday World ), Trudi Lalor (RSVP Country ), Brendan Shine, and TR Dallas.
For more information see www.tg4.ie and follow @glortire on social media for all of the latest news and updates.
