Ireland was represented at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023, which was held on 26 November 2023 in Nice, France. Irish broadcaster TG4 again used the televised national final Junior Eurovision Éire to select the artist, which was won by Jessica McKean. Her song, "Aisling", was released on 27 October.
Ireland performed fourth in the running order, following the entry from Ukraine and preceding the entry from the United Kingdom. In a reversal of fortune from 2022, Ireland achieved its first last placing ever in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, finishing in sixteenth place with 42 points.
Background
Prior to the 2023 contest, Ireland had participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest seven times since its debut in . In 2022, Sophie Lennon represented Ireland with the song "Solas". She finished 4th with 150 points and achieved Ireland's best result ever.
Before Junior Eurovision
Junior Eurovision Éire 2023 Irish broadcaster TG4 once again used the national selection format Junior Eurovision Éire to select its representative. The details of the competition were revealed on 22 August 2023. Louise Cantillon returned to host the show for the third time in a row, with Darragh Ó Caoimh serving as a co-host for the second year in a row. As in previous editions, an in-studio jury decided the results in the four heats and semi-final. As with the past two editions of the contest, the participants in Junior Eurovision Éire performed Irish-language cover versions of famous songs during the competition.
Jury members As in previous editions, the results of the four heats and semi-final were decided by an in-studio jury of two permanent members and revolving guest judges. The two permanent judges are:
Niamh Ní Chróinín – Radio presenter, manager of Irish-language youth radio station Raidió Rí-Rá Aindriú de Paor – RTÉ 2fm, RTÉ Sport and Spórt TG4 presenter
+Guest judgesArtistESCYear(s)Song(s)Place(SF)Points(SF)Place(Final)Points(Final)Niamh Kavanagh"In Your Eyes" colspan="2" 1 187"It's for You"9672325Mickey Joe Harte"We've Got the World" colspan="2" 11 53Brian Kennedy"Every Song Is a Cry for Love"9791093Ryan O'Shaughnessy"Together"617916136Brooke Scullion"That's Rich"1547colspan="2" rowspan="2" Conor O'Donohoe (Wild Youth)"We Are One"1210
Heat 1 The first heat was broadcast on 3 September 2023, with Brooke Scullion as the guest judge. Gilian Brennan received the highest number of stars and advanced directly to the semi-final, while Liza O'Neil and Sophia Connolly Deane advanced to the sing-off stage and performed their covers a second time. After their second performances, the jury members selected Liza as the winner, granting her a spot in the semi-final. +Heat 1 – 3 September 2023 Draw Artist Song Stars Result1Liza O'Neil"Driver's Licence" 99927Sing-off2Gilian Brennan"And I Am Telling You" 9101029Semi-final3Lottie O'Driscol Murray"Ghost" 79925Eliminated4Sophia Connolly Deane"When the Party's Over" 991028Sing-off5Alanna Manton"New York" 89724Eliminated6Kiefer Byrne"Leave A Light On" 78722Eliminated
+ Sing-off – 3 September 2023 Draw Artist Song Votes Result1Liza O'Neil"Driver's Licence" 2Semi-final2Sophia Connolly Deane"When the Party's Over" 1Eliminated
Heat 2 The second heat was broadcast on 10 September 2023, with Niamh Kavanagh as the guest judge. Clare Keeley received the highest number of stars and advanced directly to the semi-final, while Jessica McKean and Charlotte Mackey advanced to the sing-off stage and performed their covers a second time. After their second performances, the jury members selected Jessica as the winner, granting her a spot in the semi-final. +Heat 2 – 10 September 2023 Draw Artist Song Stars Result1Jessica McKean"I Will Always Love You" 78924Sing-off2Clare Keeley"Symphony" 89825Semi-final3Michaela Grey"Take Me to Church" 68721Eliminated4Kyla & Nicole Fox"Ghost" 87722Eliminated5Charlotte Mackey"September Song" 79723Sing-off6Abiha Mansoor"Halo" 661022Eliminated
+ Sing-off – 10 September 2023 Draw Artist Song Votes Result1Jessica McKean"I Will Always Love You" 2Semi-final2Charlotte Mackey"September Song" 1Eliminated
Heat 3 The third heat was broadcast on 17 September 2023, with Ryan O'Shaughnessy as the guest judge. Ellen McGloughlin received the highest number of stars and advanced directly to the semi-final, while Niamh Beatrix Smith and Grace Ruane advanced to the sing-off stage and performed their covers a second time. After their second performances, the jury members selected Niamh Beatrix as the winner, granting her a spot in the semi-final. +Heat 3 – 17 September 2023 Draw Artist Song Stars Result1Ellen McGloughlin"Perfect" 810826Semi-final2Niamh Beatrix Smith"Counting Stars" 89825Sing-off3Lara Gleeson"If I Could Turn Back Time" 78823Eliminated 4Grace Ruane"Stay with Me" 88925Sing-off5MJ Kearin"Spotlight" 78924Eliminated6Amy Cotter"These Days" 78722Eliminated
+ Sing-off – 17 September 2023 Draw Artist Song Votes Result 1Niamh Beatrix Smith"Counting Stars" 2Semi-final 2Grace Ruane"Stay with Me" 1Eliminated
Heat 4 The fourth heat was broadcast on 24 September 2023, with Conor O'Donohoe as the guest judge. Sarah Burke received the highest number of stars and advanced directly to the semi-final, while Juliette Maguire and Lily-May Markham advanced to the sing-off stage and performed their covers a second time. After their second performances, the jury members selected Juliette as the winner, granting her a spot in the semi-final. +Heat 4 – 24 September 2023 Draw Artist Song Stars Result1Juliette Maguire"Chandelier" 78621Sing-off2Sarah Burke"A Million Goodbyes" 89926Semi-final3Sophie O'Grady"Castles" 67720Eliminated4Lily-May Markham"Nervous" 78722Sing-off5Teagan Nolan"The Man Who Can't Be Moved" 77620Eliminated6Mary-Kate McSorley"Can't Help Falling In Love" 68620Eliminated
+ Sing-off – 24 September 2023 Draw Artist Song Votes Result 1Lily-May Markham"Nervous" 1Eliminated 2Juliette Maguire"Chandelier" 2Semi-final
Semi-final The semi-final was broadcast on 1 October 2023, with Brian Kennedy as the guest judge. Clare Keeley and Niamh Beatrix Mith were both chosen by the jury to advance directly to the final. Jessica McKean and Liza O'Neil were both chosen to go through the sing-off stage and performed their covers a second time. After their second performances, the jury members selected Jessica as the winner, granting her a spot in the final. +Semi-final – 1 October 2023 Draw Artist Song Result1Jessica McKean"Skinny Love" Sing-off2Clare Keeley"Chandelier" Finalist3Liza O'Neil"Eyes Closed" Sing-off4Juliette Maguire"Wake Me Up" Eliminated5Gillian Brennan"Grace" Eliminated6Niamh Beatrix Smith"Radioactive" Finalist7Ellen McGloughlin"Lost Without You" Eliminated8Sarah Burke"The Joker and the Queen" Eliminated
+ Sing-off – 1 October 2023 Draw Artist Song Votes Result1Jessica McKean"Skinny Love" 2Finalist2Liza O'Neil"Eyes Closed" 1Eliminated
Final The final took place on 8 October 2023, with Mickey Joe Harte as the guest judge. The jury of two permanent members and one rotating member was present once again to give feedback to the contestants, but did not have any voting power. For the second year in a row, the winner was selected exclusively by public online vote that ran on the TG4 Junior Eurovision website from 1 October, after the semi-final was broadcast, until the end of a 15-minute voting period during the final broadcast. The final had an average viewership of 19,700, and a total viewership of 104,000. +Final – 8 October 2023ArtistDrawSong DrawESC Song Jessica McKean1"Always" 4"Hold Me Now" Clare Keeley2"Someone You Loved" 5"Why Me?" Niamh Beatrix Smith3"Waiting For Love" 6"Together"
At Junior Eurovision The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2023 took place at Palais Nikaïa in Nice, France on 26 November 2023.
Voting
At the end of the show, Ireland received 8 points from juries and 34 points from online voting, placing sixteenth out of sixteen. This was Ireland's first last place in the history of the contest.
+ Points awarded to Ireland Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point Ireland received 34 points from the online vote
+ Points awarded by Ireland Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
Detailed voting results The following members comprised the Irish jury: Cian O'Donnell Padraig Jack Seán Ó Heanaigh Clara Geraghty Gráinne Bleasdale
+ Draw Country Juror A Juror B Juror C Juror D Juror E Rank Points 01 7 11 4 15 7 11 02 14 9 11 7 11 14 03 4 12 15 2 9 8 3 04 05 12 6 7 14 1 7 4 06 9 5 6 8 6 10 1 07 3 14 12 12 10 13 08 8 3 5 9 12 9 2 09 2 8 3 13 4 2 10 10 15 10 14 1 15 12 11 11 15 2 10 2 5 6 12 1 4 1 3 5 1 12 13 6 2 8 6 8 4 7 14 10 1 9 5 13 6 5 15 13 13 13 11 14 15 16 5 7 10 4 3 3 8
References