Galway resident Isibeál Ní Cheallaigh has been named Ring's first Irish 'Voice of the Nation' following a nationwide casting call that captured the hearts of Irish accent lovers across the country.
The 25-year-old was selected from hundreds of entries following in-person auditions in Dublin, Cork and Galway last summer, as well as online entries via Instagram, TikTok and the Ring app.
Isibeál is a former primary school teacher, teaching through Irish, who left full-time teaching to complete a cleachtas gairmiúl sna meáin master’s degree in media. During her studies, she’s worked as a musician and in the media, most recently on TG4's Ros na Rún.
"I'd heard about the Ring 'Voice of the Nation' auditions from a friend the week before they came to town, but I forgot they were taking place," she said. "By chance, I was walking through the shopping centre on audition day, and I thought I'd get involved for the craic."
The auditions, which ran from August to September, celebrated Ireland's passion for its distinctive voices – with research revealing that 55% of Irish people are "head over heels in love" with their accent. The nationwide search proved overwhelming, with hundreds eager to represent their nation.
After her audition, Isibeál didn't let herself get too excited. “I really didn't expect it or think I was going to become the Voice of the Nation! But when I found out I’d been chosen, I rang my mum and told her I'd got it. My brother was with her at the time, and his reaction was so funny. He was like 'so you're going to be a doorbell?' – it was gas.”
From today, Ring customers across Ireland and the UK can select Isibeál’s voice for Quick Replies on their Video Doorbells. The feature acts as an answering machine for your front door, with pre-recorded greetings that allow visitors to leave messages when you're unavailable.
The new greetings are also Ring's first-ever Irish language response option. For Isibeál, who previously taught Irish to adults, this addition holds special meaning. "There's a huge rise in the Irish language at the moment, even in ads and on posters. Lots of things are shown in two languages, so it's very important to have that option as well," she said. "My mother's family are all Irish speakers - my Daideo being a native speaker from Connemara - so we were raised with it at home. I was also very lucky to get the opportunity to speak Irish throughout school - it was such a normal thing. Now I have friends trying to learn Irish, so it was great gift to have when I was younger."
Dave Ward, Managing Director EU & International at Ring, said: “Our ‘Voice of the Nation’ celebrates the authentic voices that make every neighbourhood across Ireland unique. Isibeál brings something truly special to Ring, not just a beautiful accent but our very first Irish language voice. I’m so excited for our customers to bring that warmth and charm to their front door.”
While 15% of people listed Cillian Murphy as their dream celebrity voice during Ring research, Isibéal’s tones were the perfect match for our panel. Head judge and radio broadcaster, Carl Mullan, added: “Isibéal’s dulcet tones really struck the judging panel as the perfect voice of our nation. Well done to Isibéal and to everyone who took part - you did our beautiful Irish accent proud!”
Ready to hear Isibéal's voice at your door? You can activate this feature in just a few simple steps:
Open the Ring app
Select your Video Doorbell settings
Tap on "Smart Responses" in the settings menu
Turn on Quick Replies and choose "Irish Voice of the Nation" from the available greetings
To learn more about Isibéal's journey to becoming Ireland's Voice of the Nation and hear audio samples, visit the Ring.com blog.
