Plea to vote for Cork city's Lottie in Junior Eurovision tomorrow night

Shanakiel’s Lottie O’Driscoll Murray, 14, will represent Ireland in the Junior Eurovision in Tbilisi, Georgia, tomorrow night, and the people of Cork are being asked to show their support by voting online.

While the show takes place on Saturday night, the voting opens tonight.

Unlike in the adult Eurovision contest, junior competition voters can vote for their own country.

The participants’ scores will be made up of 50% jury and 50% public votes.

“She’s singing since she could speak — it’s been her dream since way back to represent Ireland, so there’s high emotion all around,” mum Celine told The Echo.

The team flew out to Georgia on December 5 ahead of the contest tomorrow, where Lottie will be singing the song Rúin in Irish.

“Everyone is behind her, the whole of Cork,” said Celine. “It’s amazing to see.”

Lottie, who attends Gaelcholáiste Mhuire off Monastery Rd on the northside of the city and previously went to Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers primary,told The Echo: “I’m buzzing, walking on air.”

She added that she had never been to Georgia before this trip, and had been “singing since I was a baby” so it is her dream to represent Ireland.

“I never really get nervous, I just love performing,” 

she said.

The first voting window opens tonight at 8pm Irish time, and closes tomorrow just before 4pm.

The second voting window will open after the last song has been performed during the live show, with supporters from around Europe then having around 15 minutes to cast their vote before the window closes.

The votes will be converted into points and revealed during the show, with the points to be made up of a combination of judges’ verdicts and the public vote.

• You can watch Lottie singing her song, Rúin, by searching ‘Rúin Lottie’ on YouTube.
• You can vote for free from 8pm tonight at junioreurovision.tv.

  Read More

  Going out or staying in? Your weekend guide to what's happening in Cork