Ballinasloe's Rachel to be a contestant on new series of TG4's Glór Tíre
Ballinasloe singer Rachel Goode will be one of the contestants on the new series of TG4's country music talent competition, Glór Tíre, which will return to our screens with a new set and a new format next month.
The 18th season of the popular show will get underway on January 11 at 9.30pm. Having previously been broadcast from The Quays pub in Galway, the new series will be filmed from a studio in Claregalway.
Some of Ireland's biggest names in country music, including Johnny Brady, Ciarán Rosney, Olivia Douglas and Mike Denver, will mentor two contestants each, as rising stars from all across the island of Ireland compete for the Glór Tíre title.
Rachel, a classically trained soprano, said she was excited to be a contestant on the show and was delighted that she would be mentored by Mike Denver.
"I will be representing the fantastic Mike Denver and I'm so grateful to himself and his management for choosing me as one of his contestants - I'm in great hands," she said in a Facebook post.
"Thank you for your continued support as always, and I hope you will continue to support me on this journey. I've been singing country music since I was a child, and to have just released my first single back in July to now being on this show is just incredible!"
A daughter of Ballinasloe natives Caroline and David Goode, Rachel grew up in the UK and spent her summers in Ireland before moving permanently to Ballinasloe in her early teens. She attended Our Lady's Bower in Athlone for a year and then Ardscoil Mhuire in Ballinasloe.
The winner of the upcoming season of Glór Tíre will receive a cash prize fund of €5,000, and will also get to join Mike Denver and friends for one week of shows and performances in Portugal in 2022.
The show's resident judges Jo Ní Chéide and Caitriona Ní Shuilleabháin will be joined for the new season by guest judges including entertainment journalist Eddie Rowley, of the Sunday World, and country stars Mick Flavin, Susan McCann and Louise Morrissey.
Eight contestants will feature in an initial four concert programmes in which their mentors introduce audiences and fans to their contestants for the first time.
At the end of each of these programmes the judges will choose four contestants who are safe in the competition and four contestants who will face a public live vote as part of the first elimination.
Voting will only open live during the first elimination programme and all votes are zeroed after each elimination. Ultimately five contestants will make it to the semi-final and three will go on to the final, with the winner to be announced on February 22, 2022.
In addition to Rachel Goode, Aishling Rafferty from Tipperary will be mentored by Mike Denver. The other competitors will include Katelyn Molloy from Galway and Deirdre Keane, also from Galway but now living in Banagher, both of whom will be mentored by Ciarán Rosney.
Fermanagh's Rachel McConnell and Tipperary's Colin Kenny will be mentored by Olivia Douglas; while Tracy Brennan from Tyrone and Kenny Crawford from Donegal will be mentored by Johnny Brady.
The last season of Glór Tíre was won by Emma Donoghue, a student nurse from Killoran, Ballinasloe, who said she was not looking forward to relinquishing her crown.
"I've had an amazing year, since winning the Glór Tíre title. I've learned so much about the country music industry from my mentor, Mike Denver. I've grown in confidence and built a fantastic, loyal fan base and it's all thanks to the brilliance of TG4 and the Glór Tíre series," she commented.
Glór Tíre returns to TG4 on Tuesday, January 11, and will continue each Tuesday until the finale on February 22.