Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Cathal Ryan

Who is Jennifer Connolly? Everything you need to know about the Galway teen favourite for Eurosong 2023

The battle to become Ireland’s entry into the Eurovision 2023 will take place tonight on the Late Late Show Eurosong Special, where six stellar acts will go against each other in a bid to represent the country in the 67th Eurovision Song Contest.

One of the entrants poised as a strong contender to head to Liverpool this May is Galway native Jennifer Connolly, who will go up against K Muni & ND, Leila Jane, Public Image Limited and Wild Youth.

A fan favourite (BoyleSports slashed her chances from 11/8 to 2/1 this week) Connolly has caused quite a stir among lovers of the annual Eurovision contest with her song. Here is everything you need to know about Eurosong hopeful Connolly.

READ NEXT: Siobhan O'Hagan announces she's expecting her first child

Who is Jennifer Connolly?

Jennifer, who performs under the stage name Connolly, is a Galway singer studying Creative Music Production at Dun Laoghaire Institute Of Art Design and Technology in Dublin.

The 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Leitir Meailláin, Conamara told Galway Bay FM that it was a phone call from her mother, who was born in America but moved to Ireland while young, that spurred her to enter the contest.

“It was really random. My mam rang me on some random night in August, it was really late. I answered I was very tired,” Jennifer told the radio station.

“Jennifer your song sounds very Eurovision-y, I think you should audition. That night I looked up how you did it and then I applied and that was it, so thanks, mam.”

What song will she perform?

Written during lockdown, Midnight Summer Night by Connolly was first composed when the artist was just 17 years old. Now years later the song will be performed on the Late Late Show special.

Connolly told RTÉ that this song deals with the themes of nostalgia and the passing of time.

"The song conveys confusion and overwhelming detachment, but overall the song implies that nothing bad lasts forever, delivering a sense of hope,” the Galway singer explained.

"To be in with a chance to share my song on such a legendary platform as Eurovision is amazing. It would be nothing less than a dream come true to bring Eurovision back home for Ireland once again."

Who do you think will represent Ireland? Have your say in our Eurosong poll.

READ NEXT:

Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.