Cork teen: 'I want to keep going and get on even bigger stages'

It’s not every teenager who can say that their dreams have come true.

But this is the reality for 14-year-old Lottie O’Driscoll Murray, from Shanakiel, as she recently represented Ireland live on stage at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

The 2025 competition, held in Tbilisi, Georgia, was broadcast live to over a million viewers across the continent. Singers in Junior Eurovision - which has been running since 2003, with Ireland competing for the last ten years - must be between the ages of 9 and 14.

Although Ireland is famous for its record number of wins in the main Eurovision Song Contest, we have never won Junior Eurovision.

Sadly, this was not to be our year either, with French singer Lou Deleuze instead taking the trophy.

For Lottie, however, it was absolutely the taking part that counted.

“Her dream was to represent her country on the Eurovision stage, and she did that and she delivered,” says her proud mum, Celine O’Driscoll.

Lottie had a long road to Tbilisi, with auditions for the national qualifying rounds starting last February. She breezed through these stages and in October won Junior Eurovision Éire, the TG4 series that picks Ireland’s act. Lottie was a finalist in last year’s national competition, so to come back and win this year was extra special.

Performing at the contest in Tbilisi was the experience of a lifetime for the teen, who has been singing her entire life. “I’ve always sang. I was singing before I could talk,” she says. “And my family is very musical”.

Her grandfather, she explains, was in a band. Indeed, Celine recalls how music had an influence on Lottie from the day she was born:

“From day one, when we were in the maternity hospital, I put music on my phone and she became so peaceful. Just so peaceful in the crib. And I was like, ‘That’s it. She’s got it’.”

Lottie has an eclectic taste in music: “I love a bit of everything”, she says, “but mostly pop “. She cites Whitney Houston, Adele and local hero Cian Ducrot as musical inspirations.

Given the trajectory she is now on, no doubt Lottie will be giving many of her favourite crooners a run for their money in years to come!

Unlike in the adult competition, contestants in Junior Eurovision must perform a song mostly in the native language of the country it represents. For Lottie, singing Rúin (Secrets) as Gaeilge came as second nature. A student at Gaelcholáiste Mhuire A.G., she is well used to speaking and performing in Irish.

Celine commends the school for their support over the last few months: “They’ve been amazing”.

So, too, has been everyone in Cork and Ireland cheering for Lottie, and she and her family wish to thank them “for their amazing support”.

The journey to Tbilisi was an exciting one, as a group of nine family members and friends travelled to support Lottie - a significant number considering the distance and time of year.

It was non-stop from almost the moment they arrived, although they were allowed a day off to recover from the jet lag!

Then, Celine explains: “There was a welcome party, then two nights later the Italians threw a party. It was brilliant for the kids to get to know each other. They were getting everyone’s autographs, taking photographs, sharing a few words of everyone’s languages”.

This sense of camaraderie really summed up the experience for Lottie, who recounts that “everyone was so welcoming, so lovely”.

She’s keeping in touch with other contestants from across Europe following the competition.

Asked what her highlight of the experience was, however, Lottie is clear: “Definitely being on stage”.

There were numerous rehearsals in the lead-up to the grand final, but contestants were judged on two occasions - the jury vote on the Friday and the live broadcast on the Saturday, where votes were open to the public across the continent.

Lottie flourishes while performing on stage and never gets nervous. “I love being on stage, singing and connecting with the audience,” she says.

Junior Eurovision has an additional element, too, which Lottie felt strongly: “Pride for my country”.

Taking part in the flag parade, where each contestant walks the stage brandishing their nation’s flag, is a moment that will stay with Lottie and her family forever.

“It was one of the proudest feelings I’ve ever felt,” says Celine. “And I mean that. It really was.”

Unfortunately, despite mesmerising, pitch-perfect performances, the votes did not go the way that Lottie - and indeed, the whole country - wanted.

Undeterred, she has not let the result overshadow her incredible experience, telling her mum that she would “do it all again in a heartbeat”.

The result did, however, come as a huge shock to everyone in the green room on the night, as Celine shares:

“When we were at the rehearsals, being honest, she was one to watch. The amount of people who were amazed by her vocals - nobody was worried about her hitting the high notes!

“[People] said to us, ‘when you see a crowd gathering around the TVs in the green room during a performance, you know you’re making your mark’.”

Making her mark is undoubtedly something that Lottie has achieved throughout her Junior Eurovision journey.

From local shows in Cork city to performing on an international stage, the teenager’s career is already one that most singers could only dream of.

So, what’s next for the talented 14-year-old?

“I just want to keep on going”, says Lottie. “Keep on going and don’t stop. Get on bigger stages than what I was on!”

For any young aspiring singer who’s considering entering Junior Eurovision Éire next year, what advice would Lottie share?

“Follow your dreams,” she says, “and reach for the stars”.

Words to live by - and Lottie certainly has.

The future is bright for this Shanakiel songstress, whose name has already been in lights.

Junior Eurovision: An Deichiú Réalt is available to watch on the TG4 player and charts all of Lottie’s journey, as well as catching up with the other nine singers who have represented Ireland at the competition down the years.