County Derry singer John Mullan reaches Grand Final of TG4’s Country Music show, Glór Tíre

WHEN CO DERRY Country singer John Mullan entered Glór Tíre, his hope was simply to “just to get myself out there”. He now stands on the brink of winning the title of Ireland’s Glór Tíre Country Music Champion 2025.

Last night (Tuesday 8th April) on the Semi-Final of Glór Tire - the most prestigious Country Music show on Irish television - the Co Derry singer was announced as one of the three contestants going forward to the Grand Final.

The Grand Final will be broadcast live on Irish language station TG4 on Tuesday 15th April at 9.30pm where John will now compete against Paddy Treacy (Fermanagh) and Conor Owens (Fermanagh).

John admits he shed a few tears at making it this far and he is also delighted at what he has achieved to get to the Grand Final.

“Considering the fact that the last two years I’ve been singing in corners of bars and now I've done national television, where it's not just 10 people seeing you, it's maybe tens of thousands seeing you, it's put me out there to an extent that, God only knows what could happen,” he says.

John earned that place by singing John Denver’s much-loved ‘Country Roads’ in Irish. “There's a guy back up at home, Edward, he took time out to translate it into Gaelic and helped me big time with it. So I shout out to him,” he says.

John also performed ‘Beautiful Crazy’ by his musical hero and role model Luke Combs.
“He never picked up a guitar until he was 21. I'm 21 and I’ve only started learning the guitar now,” says John.

“He started singing on social media. I'm doing it now. I’m not saying I’m going to be playing stadiums like he is, that’s one in a million, it’s just you look up to people like that for inspiration. As I say, whatever happens now, I'm just happy to be here.”

John also credits his advance to the Grand Final to the people of his home town of Ballinderry, and Co Derry more broadly.

“There's been support from businesses, from Derry GAA, people posting on social media,” he says, “the whole county, but more obviously the parish at home. There's been some push for it, just to try and get me my seat in the semi-final and the final, they've done their part and I have everybody back at home definitely to thank for it.”

Whatever happens next week, John knows his musical career has already taken a big step forward, and exciting things are already starting to happen for him. “There's a few things lined up, but I can't say anything yet about that,” he says. “I’m very thankful for all this, it's been pretty good.”

The Grand Final will be broadcast live on TG4 on Tuesday 15th April at 9.30pm. For more information see tg4.ie and follow @glortire on social media for all of the latest news and updates.