Malta is preparing to become the epicentre of European children’s music. The Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC) in Ta’ Qali (Malta) will host the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 on Saturday, 24 October. The Mediterranean island is ready to welcome the 16 delegations that will compete for victory. Malta is once again taking charge of the organisation of the European contest for the third time in its history.
The Eurovision stage will be filled with talent, excitement and music as Junior Eurovision 2026 takes place. The 16 young participants will have the opportunity to perform their entries and fulfil one of their greatest dreams: representing their countries in front of viewers around the world. As it approaches its first quarter-century, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest will once again be held under the slogan “United By Music”, highlighting the spirit of unity that defines the contest. This time, there is an added incentive: inviting us to join and become part of the great Maltese “festa”, where music, tolerance and diversity are an essential part of the show.
With the big event drawing ever closer, the time has come to turn the spotlight on its protagonists and discover the details of each of the 16 entries that will compete for the coveted crystal microphone. For many of them, what began as a dream in front of the television is about to become a reality on the Junior Eurovision stage.
This time, we explore the biography and professional career of Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben, Ireland’s representatives at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The young artists secured their ticket to Ta’ Qali after a surprise victory in Junior Eurovision Éire, where the jury backed both superfinalists. Their selection opened the doors to the contest, where they will fly their country’s flag with “Níos Láidre”.
How did their journey towards Junior Eurovision begin? What made them fall in love with music? What are their biggest dreams? And what does the song they will perform on the Ta’ Qali stage mean? Through their story, we get to know young Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben, who are taking part in this 24th edition, a little better.
Meet Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben: “stronger together”
Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben join their voices in “Níos Láidre”, a song that brings their two careers together. Although their biographies follow different paths, Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben share the same goal at Junior Eurovision 2026: to take Ireland as far as possible. The song revolves around friendship, mutual support and unity, a message that fits especially well with the story of both artists, who met during the Irish national selection and went on to become friends.
The pair represent two complementary artistic profiles. On the one hand, Caleb Kirwan is a multidisciplinary performer whose main strength is the combination of singing, dancing and acting; his experience in musicals and dance competitions gives him a particularly broad grounding on stage. On the other, Naomi Gribben is a singer with a charitable calling, whose path stands out for her vocal development, her musical versatility, her singing competitions and her wish to use music to support good causes.
Together, they offer an interesting combination for Junior Eurovision: Caleb Kirwan brings notable experience in musical theatre and dance, while Naomi Gribben adds her vocal training, her experience in international competitions and her sensitivity as a performer.
The choice of Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben is also significant for Ireland’s Eurovision history. For the first time, Ireland will send two artists as a duo to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Both will sing in Irish, keeping the country’s language and cultural identity at the heart of their entry.
Meet Caleb Kirwan: a young performer shaped by musical theatre
Caleb Kirwan is a 14-year-old artist from Dublin (Ireland). From a very young age, he has devoted much of his childhood to developing his musical and performing skills. He has always felt a special pull towards the stage, where he finds a way to express himself, have fun and connect with the audience.
The young artist especially enjoys singing, dancing and acting. For him, the stage is much more than a place to perform a song: it is the space where he feels most at ease and can show his artistic personality.
His training began at the age of 6, when he started taking singing, dance and drama lessons. This early preparation has given him a broad artistic foundation, particularly useful in a genre such as musical theatre, which demands a combination of voice, movement and dramatic performance.
He currently studies at Steptacular Performing Arts School, a performing arts school in Dublin where he continues to hone his skills.
The breadth of his training is one of the defining features of his profile: Caleb Kirwan does not limit himself to singing, but strives to develop every facet needed to become an all-round performer.
A career rooted in musical theatre
Before reaching Junior Eurovision, Caleb Kirwan had already taken part in various theatre productions, both school and training shows and larger-scale productions within his artistic circle.
His musical theatre experience began with ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ (2024), as part of the cast of the production staged at the dlr Mill Theatre Dundrum. Taking part in this musical helped him become familiar with teamwork and with the demands of a stage production.
In January 2026 came ‘Cinderella’, in which he played Buttons in the Steptacular Performing Arts production. The show’s run gave him the opportunity to perform repeatedly in front of an audience.
In ‘Beauty and the Beast’, he played Lumière, one of the story’s most recognisable characters. The role required stage presence, expressiveness and a sense of rhythm, qualities particularly well suited to an artist who combines singing, dancing and acting.
His track record also includes a successful turn in ‘Mary Poppins’, where he played Peter, adding another iconic musical theatre title to his experience. Finally, in ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’, he played Jamie, the lead in this contemporary musical, a show that blends pop music with themes of identity, self-expression and acceptance. Taken together, these productions reflect considerable stage experience for someone of his age.
Dance: another of his great talents
Dance is another important part of Caleb Kirwan’s artistic life. As well as his training in singing and acting, he is a member of the Elite dance team, with which he has taken part in competitions.
One of the highlights of this side of his career was his participation in the Dance World Cup, where he came fourth overall in the boys’ hip-hop category. This result adds an important dimension to his profile. Hip-hop demands coordination, musicality, precision and the ability to convey energy through movement. These are qualities that can also enrich a televised musical performance, in which stage presence matters as much as the voice.
His experience in dance and musical theatre therefore gives him the tools to approach an international performance from an all-round perspective: not only as a singer, but also as a performer and dancer.
His everyday life and his relationship with music
Although singing and performing take up a large part of his time, Caleb Kirwan also enjoys the things young people his age do. He has explained that he sings practically all day long and spends a lot of time rehearsing in his bedroom. His family is one of his main sources of support, something he himself has highlighted when talking about his journey.
In his free time, he likes meeting up with his friends, going to parties and attending concerts. He also enjoys watching films and going hiking with his family near his home in Dublin.
These interests help to paint a fuller picture of the young artist: someone who takes his training seriously, but who also finds inspiration in the music he listens to, in the shows he attends and in the time he spends with his loved ones.
@calebkirwanofficial A little sneak peak for you all 😉 @SIENNA SPIRO #fyp #blowthisup #junioreurovision #singing #siennaspiro ♬ original sound – Caleb Kirwan Official
His musical influences: from contemporary pop to musical theatre
Caleb Kirwan has a soft spot for two broad styles: slower and more upbeat pop, alongside musical theatre. Among the artists he has named as personal role models are Ariana Grande, whose vocal career he admires; Olivia Rodrigo, for her presence in contemporary pop; Tate McRae, a singer and dancer who combines pop music and choreography; Mulaa Jones, whom he lists among his main musical inspirations; and Sienna Spiro, another current artist he admires.
The artist himself has said that he would love to meet all of them one day. These preferences show his interest both in expressive voices and in artists who build their own stage identity.
For now, he has not released any original songs of his own (apart from his Eurovision entry). However, he has expressly stated his intention to start writing them in the future. This will be his next goal in his professional career and his specialised training.
His journey through Junior Eurovision Éire 2026
Caleb Kirwan’s Eurovision adventure began after he found out online that the application window for Junior Eurovision Éire 2026 had opened.
He decided to apply because music plays a central role in his life and because he saw the competition as an opportunity to keep growing as a singer. After getting through the auditions and the different stages of the Irish national selection for Junior Eurovision, he earned a place among the 10 artists who reached the studio shows.
His journey culminated in the grand final of Junior Eurovision Éire 2026, broadcast on 4 October, where he faced Naomi Gribben and Isa-Mae Lyle. The last stage of the competition proved especially demanding. In the first round, Caleb Kirwan performed Beyoncé’s “Halo” and “Tattoo” by Loreen, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. Then, in the superfinal, he sang “I Will Always Love You”, made famous by Whitney Houston. All of them are songs by women with great voices and stage personalities, to which the young Caleb Kirwan added his own personal touch.
For Caleb Kirwan, reaching the grand final was already something to be proud of. In his own words, he was very happy to have made it so far and felt proud of himself whatever the result. He also highlighted the importance of his fellow contestants and the atmosphere backstage. When asked about his favourite memory of the competition, he pointed to the conversations with the other participants and the good times they shared. In the end, Caleb Kirwan and his friend Naomi Gribben won the Junior Eurovision Éire 2026 trophy, to the surprise of the audience and the delight of the young artists.
As for his vocal development throughout his Junior Eurovision Éire 2026 adventure, he credits part of his progress to his work with vocal coach Elaine Canning, whom he described with great admiration.
The challenge of singing in Irish
One of the distinctive features of the Irish entry is the use of the Irish language, which Caleb Kirwan has been studying for years. The young singer explained that he went to an Irish-medium primary school and now attends a secondary school where he also studies the language.
As a result, preparing the songs in Irish was not particularly difficult for him. As he explained, learning the lyrics was relatively easy thanks to that education over more than 10 years.
This link with the Irish language is especially significant in the context of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, since Ireland’s participation is organised by TG4, the Irish-language television broadcaster, and all of its entries have featured the language.
His dreams for the future
Caleb Kirwan has a clear artistic ambition: to release his own music and go on a world tour. Although he is still at a training stage, his experience in musicals, dance and the competition is allowing him to explore different possibilities within the world of entertainment.
The young artist has said that he hopes audiences enjoy hearing him sing. He is not only talking about achieving a competitive result, but about making his performances connect with those who listen to them.
His participation in Junior Eurovision represents a new step on a path that began with performing arts classes in childhood and that, over time, has taken in theatre productions, dance competitions and televised performances.
Caleb Kirwan arrives in Malta as a multidisciplinary performer, with experience and a solid stage training for his age, and with the wish to develop his own musical identity in the future.
Meet Naomi Gribben: a young singer who wants to help others with her voice
Naomi Gribben is a young singer from Mayobridge, a small village in County Down, in Northern Ireland. At just 13 years old, she has already built up musical experience that spans school theatre, busking, international singing competitions and the release of her own recordings.
Her relationship with music began in childhood. Naomi Gribben credits much of her vocal talent to her maternal grandparents, whom she affectionately calls “nanny” and “grandad”. Both have ties to singing and country music, an artistic heritage that, as she explains, she shares with her cousins. Music is therefore a family tradition that has found continuity in her own calling.
Naomi Gribben started singing at the age of 6 and, since then, has developed a very close relationship with vocal performance. The artist herself has explained that she feels especially at home on stage, a place where she can express herself and convey emotions through songs.
Her goal is not simply to sing a melody correctly. She also wants to tell a story and make the audience feel something similar to what she experiences when she sings.
@lornaandnaomigribben rehearsals today! beautiful things ✨️ meraki magazine dublin fashion show x #followme #childsinger #beautifulthings #lovetosing #fyp ♬ original sound – #naomismusicpage#
@lornaandnaomigribben the baby sister is the new tiktock dance queen! she's so cute! #fyp #sisterdance #spongebob #followme #Christmas ♬ original sound – Tyler Warwick
Vocal training that combines different styles
Unlike Caleb Kirwan, whose known career is especially linked to multidisciplinary performing arts training, Naomi Gribben has focused much of her artistic development on her voice and on performing songs from different genres.
She has worked on her singing through musical theatre and classical vocal training, and has taken singing exams in which she achieved Distinction, an academic grade that recognises outstanding performance in the corresponding assessments.
@lornaandnaomigribben singing in my local nursing home my first time singing along to with a guitar we only got the last bit recorded but I loved it cnt wait to learn guitar guitar #coatofmanycolors @dollymusical @Dolly Parton #childsinger #fyp #singing #foryoupage ♬ original sound – #naomismusicpage#
Her repertoire and interests are varied. She has a warm, soulful tone with great expressive power. Her musical talent is a family inheritance from her grandparents, a gift she shares and enjoys with her cousins. The styles she likes to perform include pop, with songs by contemporary female artists; country music, also linked to her family roots; musical theatre, where she can combine dramatic performance with singing; and gospel, another of the genres she has mentioned among her favourites.
This variety allows her to tackle songs with different vocal and emotional demands. It also reflects an approach to music that is open to diverse styles, without limiting itself to a single genre.
@lornaandnaomigribben naomi getting all into the Christmas spirit at the @Rushmere #childsinger #fyp #christmas #viral ♬ original sound – #naomismusicpage#
Her first theatre experiences
Naomi Gribben has also gained acting experience through musical theatre. One of her most notable roles was Charlie Bucket in her school production of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. Playing the story’s protagonist means taking on a central presence in the show and playing an active part in how the plot unfolds. She has also appeared in productions of ‘Seussical’ and ‘Matilda’, two well-known musical theatre titles.
These experiences have helped her become familiar with playing characters, with telling a story through music and with the need to hold the audience’s attention throughout a performance.
Her theatre training complements her vocal work. When she performs a song, Naomi Gribben seeks to convey the meaning of the lyrics and communicate her emotions.
Busking for charity
One of the most personal aspects of Naomi Gribben’s biography is her wish to use music to help other people. The young singer has performed as a street musician, a practice known as busking, which consists of performing music in public spaces for passers-by.
Last year, Naomi Gribben busked in her local town and donated the money she raised to support local people living with cancer. She has also given performances linked to charity initiatives.
@lornaandnaomigribben busking yesterday in Belfast and this happened! @blefast #fyp #followme #childsinger #ireland🇮🇪 #busking#viral#adele #goeasyonme ♬ original sound – #naomismusicpage#
This commitment is especially important because it is not presented as something separate from her artistic calling, but as one of the motivations she herself highlights when talking about her aspirations.
Naomi Gribben explained that one of her biggest dreams is to keep singing, but, above all, she would like to help people through her voice. Her vision of music therefore combines personal expression with a community dimension: singing to move, entertain and, whenever possible, contribute to a good cause.
@lornaandnaomigribben @Three Ireland @Cian Ducrot 💛 I am a little busker from ireland who's dream is to perform on a big stage, imagine being able to sing with Cian Ducrot!🩵#singingislife #viral #busker #holdmyhand #citystage2025 ♬ original sound – #naomismusicpage#
@lornaandnaomigribben busking yesterday at wake the giant warrenpoint a few songs I covered #summer #imbooked #ireland #childsinger #festival #country #countrymusic ♬ original sound – #naomismusicpage#
Tour Music Fest 2025: an important step in her career
One of Naomi Gribben’s most notable achievements before Junior Eurovision was her participation in the 2025 edition of Tour Music Fest – The European Music Contest, a music competition that brings together performers from different backgrounds.
Naomi Gribben made her way through the different stages of the competition to reach the grand final held in San Marino, where she was the only singer from Ireland or the United Kingdom to make it to that stage.
The experience was an opportunity to showcase her voice in an international setting and to compete with other young performers.
Reaching a grand final of this kind was especially significant for a singer of her age, as it meant getting through several selection stages and presenting her performance to judges and audiences who were not necessarily familiar with her previous work.
Naomi Gribben has said that she hopes to keep performing on ever bigger stages. Her participation in Tour Music Fest was one of the first milestones on the way to that aspiration.
@lornaandnaomigribben what an amazing experience at the european music contest 2025 tiktok won't let me but the whole video up ! #childsinger #contest#fyp #followme #Italy ♬ original sound – #naomismusicpage#
Her first music releases
Naomi Gribben has also begun to document her vocal work through a number of released recordings. In 2025, she released her version of “The Climb”, the song originally made famous by Miley Cyrus, on digital platforms.
The choice of song is interesting because of its message of perseverance. The song is about the effort of pressing on despite obstacles, an idea that connects with Naomi’s own journey, especially her return to the Irish selection after not being chosen at her first audition.
As well as “The Climb”, Naomi Gribben has recorded a version of “O Holy Night” for The Ivory Sessions. These recordings show that her activity is not limited to live performances: she has also begun to build a repertoire that the public can access through music platforms and recording projects.
Over recent months, Naomi Gribben’s social media presence has grown considerably. One of her covers that stands out is “The Power of Love”, which has attracted a very large number of views.
Her appearance on ‘The Late Late Toy Show’
Another highlight of her career so far was her appearance on ‘The Late Late Toy Show’ in 2025, one of the best-known family programmes on Irish television, in which Naomi Gribben took part.
This appearance brought her to a wider television audience and was another experience within the Irish broadcasting landscape, before she made the leap to the national selection for Junior Eurovision.
Although it was not a solo musical performance on the programme, it is part of her public journey and her connection with the cultural and television life of Ireland.
@lornaandnaomigribben my toyshow experience! Best experience ever! #toyshow#rte#memories #childsinger #fyp ♬ Underneath the Tree (Christmas Songs – One day, everything changed. You're all I need) – Kelly Clarkson
Her Junior Eurovision Éire adventure: second time lucky
Naomi Gribben’s story with Junior Eurovision Éire, Ireland’s national selection for Junior Eurovision, has a particularly significant element: she was not selected at her first attempt.
In 2024, she went to the auditions, but the jury did not choose her to go through to the studio shows with the selected candidates. Two years later, she tried again. This time she got through the auditions, made it into the 10 contestants of the studio stage and progressed through the different rounds to become one of the three finalists of the 2026 edition.
Her progress is an example of perseverance at an early stage of her development. The 2024 experience did not end her involvement in the process: she kept working on her voice and her performances, came back to the competition and ended up achieving the result she was looking for. Naomi Gribben explained that she decided to apply because she knew other singers who had taken part in the programme before and knew they had really enjoyed the experience.
The selection also allowed her to meet other young artists. In fact, when asked about her favourite memory of the competition, she particularly highlighted getting to know the other participants and mentioned Caleb Kirwan as one of her best friends.
On 4 October, Naomi Gribben reached the grand final of Junior Eurovision Éire 2026 alongside Caleb Kirwan and Isa-Mae Lyle. In the first round, she performed “If I Could Turn Back Time” and “Why Me?”, the latter part of Ireland’s Eurovision Song Contest history, as the song with which Linda Martin won the Malmö 1992 contest. Her performances took her through to the superfinal alongside Caleb Kirwan.
In the deciding round, Naomi Gribben performed “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”, a song known for its vocal demands and emotional intensity.
Naomi Gribben received the news of her victory alongside Caleb Kirwan after a journey that had begun with an unsuccessful audition two years earlier. Her selection is therefore both an artistic achievement and the culmination of a process of learning and improvement.
Great musical role models
Naomi Gribben has wide-ranging musical tastes and admits that she finds it hard to pick just a few role models. Among her favourite artists, she has mentioned Sabrina Carpenter, a contemporary pop figure; CeCe Winans, an American singer mainly associated with gospel and Christian music; and Olivia Rodrigo, known for her pop songs with rock influences.
The combination of these role models shows her openness to different forms of vocal expression, from youthful pop to performances with a more pronounced spiritual and emotional dimension.
She has also explained that she enjoys learning Irish. She describes it as a beautiful language and has spoken of how much she likes learning it. Her relationship with Irish is not only academic: it is now part of preparing the song with which she will represent Ireland in front of a European audience.
Her life away from the stage
Away from music, Naomi Gribben enjoys the things young people her age do. Her hobbies include ice skating, going out with her friends, acting and, as she herself admits with humour, going shopping when she can spend her mum’s money.
Naomi Gribben loves Christmas and thoroughly enjoys this magical time of year. She loves buying Christmas decorations and decorating her house with lights, colours and festive touches. She also enjoys listening to carols and Christmas hymns, which fill her home with joy, peace and Christmas spirit.
Her home village, Mayobridge, is also an important part of her story. Over these months, she has received the support of her community, something that fits with her interest in charity performances and her wish to help others through music.
Although she has already taken part in competitions and television programmes, she is still a teenager who balances her education and hobbies with developing her artistic calling.
@lornaandnaomigribben #prettylittlebaby #sistergoals #sister #prettylittlebabychallenge #family #fyp #familyfun ♬ original sound – #naomismusicpage#
@lornaandnaomigribben Shopping with kids at the range 🤣🎅🎄 #therange #fyp #followme #fyp #shopping#christmas #viral ♬ original sound – Carma G
Her dreams: to keep singing and help others
When she talks about her goals, Naomi Gribben does not focus solely on fame or on the possibility of releasing more songs. Her main aspiration is to keep singing and to use her talent to help other people.
Her experience of charity performances in her home area seems to have strengthened that motivation. For her, music can serve to convey emotions, bring people together and support initiatives that have a direct impact on the community.
Her arrival at Junior Eurovision will allow her to broaden her stage experience, share a performance with Caleb Kirwan and represent Ireland in front of an international audience.
Naomi Gribben arrives in Malta as a singer with experience in a range of styles, vocal training, charity performances and a personal story of perseverance. Her journey shows that her interest in music goes beyond competition: she wants to turn singing into a tool to communicate and help.
The road to Junior Eurovision 2026: a surprise victory in Junior Eurovision Éire
After the auditions in the first programme of Junior Eurovision Éire 2026 and two studio shows, the semi-final was held on Sunday 27 September, where seven young talents – including Isa-Mae Lyle, brought back by the jury with a wildcard – competed for one of the three places in the grand final. The professional jury decided who stayed in the competition, and the three chosen for the grand final were Caleb Kirwan, Isa-Mae Lyle and Naomi Gribben.
The final show took place on 4 October with three finalists and consisted of two rounds. In the first, each artist performed two cover versions: Caleb Kirwan sang “Halo” (Beyoncé) and “Tattoo” (Loreen), while Naomi Gribben sang “If I Could Turn Back Time” (Cher) and “Why Me?” (Linda Martin). The professional jury then selected the two superfinalists, who returned to the stage to perform again one of the songs they had already sung in previous shows: “I Will Always Love You” (Whitney Houston) for him and “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” (Jennifer Hudson) for her.
After competing individually throughout the contest, Isa-Mae Lyle had to settle for 3rd place, while Caleb Kirwan and Naomi Gribben reached the programme’s superfinal. The expert jury, made up of Niamh Ní Chróinín, Hugh Carr and Eurovision 1992 winner Linda Martin, took the unprecedented decision to name both of them winners and bring them together as a duo for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
Discover “Níos Láidre”, Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben’s entry representing Ireland at Junior Eurovision 2026
Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben will represent Ireland at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with “Níos Láidre” (“Stronger”), an up-tempo song performed in Irish. It was written by Larissa Tormey, Ben Pyne, Remy Borsboom and Shauna Carrick, while Remy Cooper took charge of the music production. The entry was born as an ode to friendship and to personal growth when we join forces.
The song deals with personal growth, resilience and the strength that comes from overcoming adversity and joining forces with others. Its central message reflects how mutual support and determination make it possible to face the toughest challenges.
The lyrics start from a simple idea: life is full of changes, unexpected twists and paths that do not always go in the direction we had imagined. Even so, the song invites us to take things calmly and to remember that, step by step, it is possible to build something important.
Lines such as “Is fada an bóthar nach mbíonn casadh ann” (“It’s a long road that has no turning”), which alludes to how long a road without turns can be, and “De réir a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin” (“Castles are built little by little”), a saying that reminds us that castles are built bit by bit, reinforce the idea that great achievements require patience and perseverance.
The message becomes even stronger in the chorus, where Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben sing about the importance of being there when life changes. The promise to come quickly when someone needs help, “Chomh tapa le traein” (“As fast as a train”), symbolises an unconditional friendship, capable of overcoming any obstacle.
The song insists that walking together makes it possible to face tomorrow with more confidence, to the point of presenting the future as an opportunity to grow and move forward, rather than staying anchored in the present.
Another of its most significant elements comes when the lyrics acknowledge that there is still no fixed destination. Far from presenting this as a problem, the song expresses the happiness of walking on together, even without knowing where the journey will lead. In this way, “Níos Láidre” celebrates both the destination and the journey itself, and champions the value of the people who accompany us along the way.
A music video shot in Dublin
The world of “Níos Láidre” also takes shape through its music video, shot in Herbert Park, in Dublin. It was directed by Ovie Etseyatse and produced by Adare Productions, a team that has worked to give visual life to the Irish entry.
The production also features dancers from Steptacular Performing Arts School, who join Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben to add movement and energy to the performance.
With “Níos Láidre”, Ireland puts the spotlight on an emotion that audiences can identify with whatever their age or background: the reassurance of knowing that we do not have to face life’s changes alone.
The song combines everyday images, a repetitive chorus and a central idea that runs from start to finish: even if the road is long and the destination is still uncertain, moving forward with someone you trust can turn difficulties into opportunities to grow.
Lyrics to “Níos Láidre” by Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben, Ireland’s entry at Junior Eurovision 2026
Irish
Is fada an bóthar nach mbíonn casadh ann
(glac go réidh é)
De réir a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin
Ag athrú an t-am ar fad
Ar an mbealach
Níl mé ag iarraidh stad
Oooh
Nuair a athraíonn an saol,
Cuir glaoch orm ‘is beidh mé ann
Chomh tapa le traein, ‘is beimid
Níos lá-lá-lá-láidre, láidre
‘Is muid taobh le taobh
Éireoidh linn is beimid,
Níos lá-lá-lá-láidre
Amá-má-má-márach
Ná inniu
Agus níl ceann scríbe ‘gainn go fóill (beir ar mo lámh)
Bheadh áthas orm a bheith ag siúl go deo
Leatsa an t-am ar fad
Ar an mbealach
Níl muid ag iarraidh stad
Nuair a athraíonn an saol,
Cuir glaoch orm ‘is beidh mé ann
Chomh tapa le traein, ‘is beimid
Níos lá-lá-lá-láidre, láidre
‘Is muid taobh le taobh
Éireoidh linn is beimid,
Níos lá-lá-lá-láidre
Amá-má-má-márach
Ná inniu
Da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da da/Ohhhhhhh
Da da da da da da da/Ohhhhhhh
Da da da da da da da da da /Ohhhhhhh
Da da da da /Ohhhhhhh
Nuair a athraíonn an saol,
Cuir glaoch orm ‘is beidh mé ann
Chomh tapa le traein, ‘is beimid
Níos lá-lá-lá-láidre, láidre
Agus muid taobh le taobh
Éireoidh linn is beimid,
Níos lá-lá-lá-láidre
Amá-má-má-márach
Ná inniu
English
It’s a long road that has no turning
(take it easy)
Castles are built little by little
Changing all the time
Along the way
I don’t want to stop
Oooh
When life changes,
Give me a call and I’ll be there
As fast as a train, and we’ll be
Stro-stro-stro-stronger, stronger
And with us side by side
We’ll make it and we’ll be
Stro-stro-stro-stronger
To-mo-mo-morrow
Than today
And we don’t have a destination yet (take my hand)
I’d be happy to be walking forever
With you all the time
Along the way
We don’t want to stop
When life changes,
Give me a call and I’ll be there
As fast as a train, and we’ll be
Stro-stro-stro-stronger, stronger
And with us side by side
We’ll make it and we’ll be
Stro-stro-stro-stronger
To-mo-mo-morrow
Than today
Da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da
Da da da da da da da da/Ohhhhhhh
Da da da da da da da/Ohhhhhhh
Da da da da da da da da da /Ohhhhhhh
Da da da da /Ohhhhhhh
When life changes,
Give me a call and I’ll be there
As fast as a train, and we’ll be
Stro-stro-stro-stronger, stronger
And with us side by side
We’ll make it and we’ll be
Stro-stro-stro-stronger
To-mo-mo-morrow
Than today
Enjoy all the songs from Junior Eurovision 2026 on the ESCplus playlist on Spotify:
Ireland at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest
With its 2026 entry, Ireland reaches a total of 11 participations in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. It joined the contest in 2015 and has taken part almost without interruption ever since, missing only the 2020 edition. The country has a modest track record in the competition, usually finishing in the lower half of the scoreboard.
On its debut at Sofia 2015, Aimee Banks finished 12th with 36 points with “Réalta na Mara”. That result was improved the following year by Zena Donnelly and her “Bríce ar Bhríce”, which received 122 points and finished 10th, still the country’s second-highest score. It was also the first of Ireland’s two top-10 finishes at Junior Eurovision.
Fondly remembered among fans of the children’s contest is the Irish entry at Gliwice-Silesia 2019, which went in as one of the favourites. Young Anna Kearney and her “Banshee”, a polished ballad with Celtic sounds, ultimately finished only 12th, a result that felt disappointing but was understandable given the very high standard of that year’s contest.
To date, Ireland has never won the crystal microphone nor hosted the contest. The country’s finest hour came at Yerevan 2022, coinciding with Junior Eurovision’s 20th anniversary, when the talented Sophie Lennon climbed to an excellent 4th place with 150 points thanks to her song “Solas”.
At Nice 2023, Sophie Lennon provided backing vocals on “Aisling”, with Jessica McKean on lead vocals. However, the entry could not climb above last place, with just 42 points, the first time Ireland had finished bottom of the scoreboard. At Madrid 2024, Enya Cox Dempsey and her rhythmic “Le Chéile” slightly improved Ireland’s result, receiving 55 points for 15th place.
The modest results continued at Tbilisi 2025. Lottie O’Driscoll Murray and “Rúin” finished last (18th) with just 44 points: 3 points from the juries, which put her joint 17th, and 41 points in the online vote, where she was 15th.
Now, in Ta’ Qali, Caleb Kirwan & Naomi Gribben will become the first duo to represent Ireland at the contest, once again with a song in Irish: “Níos Láidre”.