Ramelton's Jason McCahill ready for semi-final appearance on TG4’s Glór Tire

Jason McCahill, a 26-year-old delivery driver from Ramelton is hoping to join fellow Donegal Country singer, Chelsea Evans from Dunfanaghy, in the Grand Final of Glór Tíre, TG4’s long-running, hit music series.

Before that, Jason must survive the semi-final, which will be broadcast live on TG4 on Tuesday at 9.30 pm, and where he will compete against fellow hopefuls, Alistair Fingleton (Kildare), Jenny Hanlon (Louth), and Gerard Gormley (Tyrone).

On that show, Jason will perform ‘Three Wooden Crosses’, a No1 hit for Randy Travis in 2002.

“It’s my Mother’s favourite song and I’ll be happy to play it for her,” he says. “It’s more laid back, more stripped back, than what I’ve performed already. It will be good to step out of my comfort zone. That’s when I perform best.”

Donegal gets behind its own and, like Chelsea, Jason has been enjoying phenomenal support up and down the county.

“The reaction in Donegal has been crazy! To be honest, it’s something I didn’t expect,” he says, before laughing, “Somebody said to me the last day, ‘I’m fed up looking at you, ‘cause no matter what direction I turn, I can see your face whether on social media or a billboard!’ No, everybody in Donegal has got behind us. Donegal will always support you, and not just Donegal too, but outside of Donegal has attracted big interest as well.”

Jason’s appearance on Glór Tíre last month, where he duetted with Irish Country star Claudia Buckley, is already paying dividends and getting him bookings.

“Gigs have been flying in since I appeared on the show,” he says. “So no matter what happens now, I’m happy. I’ve made the most of this show, gotten exposure, and pushed my name out there - which is what Glór Tíre is all about. Everybody has helped me, so hopefully we can keep on the same trajectory, and down the line, hopefully, get among the big boys, and have our own backing band, and boogie on the dancefloor, and get them jiving.”

That said, with a chance to make it to the Grand Final so close, Jason does not want to fall short now, he’s too close to the finish line to want to let that happen. “If I get through the semi-finals,” he says, “the push will be back on again, the excitement will be up, and we’ll be up chomping for votes.”

The Glór Tire semi-final is on TG4 on Tuesday April 16, at 9.30pm. It will be presented by Aoife Ní Thuairisg. The judges will be RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta’s Jó Ní Chéide and Caitriona Ní Shuilleabháin, with guest judge, Trudi Lalor (RSVP Country).