The popular TG4 series, hosted by Aoife Ní Thuairisg, will kick off Tuesday night with 22-year-old Darcy Walsh from Dungloe, Donegal and 19-year-old Jordan McPolin from Hilldown in Co Down vying for a shot at major league stardom.
Glór Tíre guest judge Eddie Rowley with singer and mentor Claudia Buckley
And they are both being mentored by Irish country big-gun Jimmy Buckley, who will also perform his hits and favourites on the show.
Darcy and Jordan will have competition in the coming weeks from Ryan Lynch (Strabane), Dee Morrissey (Bansha, Tipperary), Megan O’Hara (Tubber on the Offaly/Westmeath border), Marty Breslin (Derry), Maeve Farrell (Annaclone, Down) and Paudie Coffey (Beaufort, Killarney).
Glór Tíre contestants Paudie Coffey, Maeve Farrell, Darcy Walsh and Jordan McPolin
“Glór Tíre gets you into the homes of a lot of people across the entire island of Ireland who are into country music,” Nathan Carter says of the show’s impact.
“Lisa McHugh always says it was a great platform for her when she was starting out. She was mentored on her first show by Robert Mizzell, and then she went back as a mentor herself.”
When Nathan Carter performed on the programme as a singer and mentor in 2012, it was before he achieved massive fame with his smash hit, Wagon Wheel .
Glór Tíre contestants Dee Morrissey, Marty Breslin, Megan O’Hara and Ryan Lynch
“There is a video of me singing an old medley of Irish songs like Spanish Lady and Westmeath Bachelor on my first Glór Tíre show, and I’m in the shiniest silver suit you’ve ever seen in your life,” Nathan laughs as he recalls that appearance.
“It’s still up there on YouTube. It was great to be on Glór Tíre at that time. There aren’t many country music TV shows in Ireland, so it has been a huge boost for our genre.”
Glór Tíre producer Maria Griffin tells how she has seen contestants thrive and achieve success after getting their break on the show – even those who didn’t emerge winners.
“Lisa McHugh didn’t win it, but she went on to have great success in her career,” Maria points out.
Glor Tire guest judge Eddie Rowley (Sunday World) with singers and mentors Jimmy and Claudia Buckley
Star-in-the-making Jordan McPolin says he’s wanted to be a country singer like Nathan Carter since first meeting the Wagon Wheel singer when he was six-years-old.
“I won tickets for a meet-and-greet with Nathan and to see him performing when I was six,” Jordan says. “That Christmas the top of my Santa list was a guitar.”
Jordan is an apprentice electrician but also performs live as a singer and has won competitions for jiving.
Darcy Walsh says she’s been a long-time fan of Glór Tíre. “It has always been a dream of mine to be on the show and I feel like I’m ready for it this year,” she reveals.
Ryan Lynch (37) has been working on the country scene as a solo performer in recent years and says he’s now decided to make it a full-time career. He will be mentored by Patrick Feeney.
Glor Tire contestants Marty Breslin and Megan O’Hara
Dee Morrissey, who will also be mentored by Feeney, works by day as a wedding planner and decorator under the name, ‘The Fairy Godmother.’ She’s hoping Glór Tíre will sprinkle some magic and make her dream of being a country star come true.
Megan O’Hara (28) and Marty Breslin (25) are being mentored by Michael English.
Paudie Coffey performing on Glor Tire with Claudia Buckley
“Glór Tíre has been hugely influential in my life growing up, but I never had the confidence to actually go for it myself,” Megan says.
“This year my confidence has grown as I have begun singing in a band called The Band Sí with my mother.”
Marty Breslin has a long-held ambition to become a country singing and says he’s decided that 2026 is the year to give it a go.
“I have a goal of becoming a country music star, and I believe this year is the year to achieve that goal,” Marty says.
“My granny loved Nathan Carter and his music. I saw how this music impacted her and I want to do the same for other people.”
Glór Tíre presenter Aoife Ní Thuairisg (centre) with judges Jo Ní Chéide and Caitriona O’Sullivan
Maeve Farrell and Paudie Coffey will be mentored by Claudia Buckley. “Claudia is the dream mentor as she is currently doing my dream job of touring with her own big band,” Maeve says.
“I’ve spent the last nine years teaching jiving and line dancing, founding CountryFIT — a dance community created online during lockdown. Country music is my everything.”
Paudie Coffey has been performing with his dad since the age of 15 and at the age of 26 he says he’s now ready to take his career to a new level “with the help of Glór Tíre and my mentor Claudia.”
This will be the 22nd series of Glór Tíre and Jimmy Buckley tells how it boosts all careers from newcomers to established artists.
“It’s a great springboard for any artist to do. Glór Tire can be a great shop window, a great platform,” Jimmy says. “It’s amazing the amount of exposure it’s given to young artists. It’s also showcasing singers like me, like Claudia, Michael English and Mike Denver. It keeps us fresh in people’s minds. It’s definitely a show to be on.”
Glór Tíre is on TG4 this Tuesday at 9.30pm