Ireland: Semi-final show determines the three finalists of Junior Eurovision Éire 2021

The Irish Junior Eurovision 2021 national selection ‘Junior Eurovision Éire 2021’ continued this evening with the semifinal show that determine the three finalists.

Ireland one step away from deciding their next Junior Eurovision act as the semi final of ‘Junior Eurovision Éire 2021’ selected the three finalists that will give the final battle for the ticket to Paris.

“Junior Eurovision Éire 2021” has been unwinding over the last six weeks with all shows been recorded previously in the RTÉ studios in Dublin.

Following last weeks’s heats, the semi final round was broadcast this evening on RTE with the show presented by Louise Cantillon, who took over from Eoghan McDermott, who presented every edition of the show until 2019.

Like previous year’s a jury of experts includes two permanent jurors while the third spot is filled in by a guest judge every week. Namely, the two permanent jurors 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) and has been serving as a judge for the Junior Eurovision Éire 2016-2018. Fiacha was also behind the composition of the Irish JESC 2019 entry “Banshee”

In this semi final heat the third judge’s place was filled in by Lesley Roy , the Irish ESC 2021 representative.

The 8 semifinalists performed covers of well known songs in Irish. The three judges assessed their performance and chose two direct qualifiers to the final. From the rest six contestants the judges selected two more that went in a sing-off round from which the judges selected the last third finalist.

Here are the acts that competed in this third round along with their results:

Shannon Copeland – “New York”
Maiú Levi Lawlor – “Grace” – (Finalist after winning sing off duel)
Alison McGrath – “Ghost”
Lilyella Buckley – “Lost Without You” ( Direct Finalist)
Cora Harkin – “Shut Up and Dance”
Sophie Lennon – “Hold Me While You Wait” (Direct Finalist)
Julie Cole – “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” (Sing-Off contender)
Eva Norton – “Hold My Hand”

The judges picked as direct qualifiers to the final Lilyella Buckley and Sophie Lennon, while Maiú Levi Lawlor and Julie Cole were selected to battle in a sing off round which saw Maiú Levi Lawlor winning the last thrid spot of the final. Thus the three finalists who will compete in next week’s final show of the right to represent Ireland in Junior Eurovision are:

1. Lilyella Buckley