David James lands mentoring role on this year's Glór Tíre

Well-known country singer David James will play a mentoring role in this year's Glór Tíre which returns to our screens on TG4 this Tuesday, January 10, at 9.30pm.  

Eight emerging talents of Irish country music will fight it out to win the title of Ireland’s Glór Tíre country music champion, with contestants being mentored by a leading figure from the Irish country scene. No stranger to the country music scene, David James from St Johnston will be on side to help his two performers Jamie Donnolly and Seán Fahy impress judges. 

“As Irish people, we all have a bit country music in our blood,” David James said. 

Glór Tíre will be presented by Aoife Ní Thuairisg and Séamus Ó Scanláin. This year the competitors will perform in front of a live audience.

Each week, two contestants go head to head for the right to take part in the live elimination shows in February. On January 10 Billy Mac and Bríd Shaunghnessy mentored by Mike Denver will battle it out, Jamie Donnolly and Seán Fahy, mentored by David James will  compete with one another and on January 17 and on January 24 Tex Deegan and Florence Given, mentored by John McNicholl will go to battle. Noel Boland and Molly O'Connell mentored by Louise Morrissey will be broadcast on January 31.

For competitors to progress, they must impress resident judges, Jó Ní Chéide and Caitriona Ní Shuilleabháin, as well as this year’s guest judges, who will be Eddie Rowley of the Sunday World, singer-songwriter Marc Roberts, and Country and Irish artists John Hogan and Matt Leavy.
Each episode will also see the contestants duet with their mentor.  Glór Tíre, produced by Gael Media, is TG4’s longest running and most successful country music series. It is acknowledged as a vital platform for Country and Irish Music performers and essential viewing for fans of the genre.
“Glór Tíre is the backbone of country music in Ireland. To me, people expect to turn on TG4 and see Country music on it. It’s our national station for country music," said Mike Denver.