Larissa is co-writer of Ireland's Junior Eurovision entry

The Irish entry for this year’s Junior Eurovision has been co-written by Kilbeggan-based songwriter, Larissa Tormey.

‘Níos Láidre’ is to be performed by singers Naomi Gribben and Caleb Kirwan at the contest, taking place in Malta on Saturday, October 24. of this year.

Larissa, who was co-writer of Ireland’s 2025 Eurovision Song Contest entry ‘Laika Party’, was commissioned by television production company Adare Productions to develop the Junior Eurovision entry.

She invited her close friend and Dublin songwriter Ben Pyne, an experienced Eurovision collaborator, to join the project. Musical theatre writer and fluent Irish speaker Shauna Carrick joined the team to help shape the Irish lyrics.

The song was produced by Netherlands-based Remy Borsboom, a regular collaborator with Larissa. Both she and Borsboom are signed to DWB Music UK, a publisher with a strong focus on Eurovision. The team worked closely together to create an upbeat song celebrating friendship and the strength people find in one another. The title translates as ‘Stronger’.

For Larissa, the commission brought an unexpected personal connection. A year earlier, she had discovered Naomi’s voice on social media and contacted her mother to suggest Junior Eurovision.

“I heard Naomi singing last year and was so impressed by her voice that I wrote to her mother saying she should be in Junior Eurovision,” says Larissa. “Imagine my surprise when, a year later, I was asked to write a song for her. It made this project very special for me.”

Naomi and Caleb initially competed against one another in Ireland’s national selection, becoming close friends along the way. When both reached the final, the judges could not choose between them and decided they should represent Ireland together. ‘Níos Láidre’ is their first experience singing as a duet, taking their new friendship to an international stage.

“Working with Ben, Remy and Shauna was such an enjoyable journey,” says Larissa. “We worked very well together, and it has been lovely to write something uplifting for these two amazing young singers.”

The release adds another international credit to Larissa’s songwriting career. As well as co-writing ‘Laika Party’, her co-written song ‘Uninterrupted’, performed by Noelle, reached Croatia’s Dora national final in 2026.

She is currently working on numerous Eurovision projects for different countries for 2027.