As previously announced Coiste Náisiúnta Scór in conjunction with TG4/Adare Productions are promoting a Clár Nua Teilifíse featuring County Scór na nÓg Finalists 2012/13.
Auditions will be held in 3/4 centres around the country. Attendance at these auditions is voluntary and is completely separate from our own Comórtaisí.
The series will consist of 13 programmes in total --- 10 preliminary rounds, quarter-final, semi-final followed by the final.
The aim of the series is to promote our language and culture, to highlight/showcase the talent of our young members and to entertain the viewers.

The Information to hand from Adare Productions (Programme Producers) is as follows:
This new show for TG4 is aiming to promote the Irish language and culture, showcase the talent within the Scór na nÓg competition and entertain the Sunday evening viewers on TG4.

There are 13 shows in total. The first 10 shows are the "Round 1" shows. In each Round 1 show, 8 to 9 acts will perform. It will then fall to our panel of judges (judges yet to be confirmed) to select one act to progress to the Quarter Final.
By the end of the 10 Round 1 shows, we will have 10 show winners, who are our Quarter-Finalist.
Show 11 is the Quarter-Final. From this show, a number of acts will be selected to progress to the Semi-Final.
Show 12 is the Semi-Final. Again, from this show, some acts will be selected to go through to the Final.
Show 13 is the Final. Here, one act is selected as the series winner.

The rules of the competition differ somewhat from the rules of Scór na nÓg. We will not segregate the acts under different headings. So we will not have one show dedicated to set dancers, another show just for ballad groups, etc.... In each show there will be a variety of talents on display, all competing against each other.

In order to select the acts for the show, we would like to "audition" the top 3 placings from each county in:
Céilí/Figure Dancing
Solo Singing
Instrumental Music
Ballad Group
Set Dancing

We would also like to audition the county winners in:
Recitation/Storytelling
Novelty Act

There is no scope to include competitors in the Question Time category. This would not fit the light entertainment talent show format that we are producing.

The reasons we wish to see your top 3 placements in the 5 above mentioned categories is that we wish to have as much variety in age, gender and region as possible. For example, perhaps some counties have no solo singers, then places would open up for second and third placed singers in other counties. But in general we will probably end up selecting county winners for the show, but for age, gender and region purposes we may also select second and third place competitors.

Our next step is to organise regional auditions. Once we've established the dates that would not clash with your own events, we will put a schedule together and contact you with dates for the regional auditions. I am hopeful that between us we can have your top Scór na nÓg competitors at the auditions, and make sure that your county is represented by your most talented members.

The show will be recorded in RTE in Dublin. The recording dates for the 10 Round 1 shows are:
22/23/24 January 2013
5/6/7 February 2013
Acts invited to take part in the series would NOT need to be available for all of those dates. They would only need to be available for one of those dates to record the Round 1 show they are in.

The dates for the final 3 shows (Quarter-Final, Semi-Final and Series Final) have yet to be confirmed, but will probably be in March / April.

The audition dates so far:

Killyclogher, Omagh Dun Uladh Friday 14th of December from 3pm on
Ulster

Longford The Longford Arms Tuesday 18th December from 3pm on
Connaught & Leinster

Dublin The Green Isle Hotel Wednesday 19th December from 3pm on
Leinster

Nenagh The Abbeycourt Hotel Thursday 20th December from 3pm on
Munster & Leinster

We will be holding auditions for Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Galway, Mayo
and Sligo in January, the dates we are hoping to hold these are as
follows:

9th January Wednesday Killarney Co. kerry

10th January Thursday Cork Co. Cork & Waterford

13th January Sunday Claremorris Co. Mayo, Galway & Sligo

These aren't open auditions, we will be giving everyone a time slot,
as we don't want people having to wait about for auditions.

Tuairim/Opinion
Tomás Ó Cadhla - Oifigeach Gaelainne agus Cultúrtha - Port Láirge
"Reality TV" is now a part of everyday life and are the most watched TV programmes by Teenagers and Young Adults. The Popularity of shows such as X-Factor (UK and USA) and other Reality Talent Competitions such as Britain's Got Talent and The Voice (both Ireland and UK) is huge and these shows in turn have enjoyed massive TV Ratings.
• Young members of our GAA Clubs all over Ireland, north and south, have been happy to engage in Auditions for these shows along with hundreds of thousands of other Young Adults.
• As far as Scór is concerned, counties and divisions all over Ireland are struggling to maintain interest in our GAA Talent Competition and consequently we are struggling to get new clubs and individuals involved which would give the competition a new lease of life. This TV Series, used and structured in the right way, we feel, can give us that new lease of life we need.
• If we look at the Influence that modern artists can have, who were born out of Reality TV, we only need to look towards our own All-Ireland Football Final in 2012 - where Janet Devlin (X Factor Contestant 2011) performed.
• If we are to look at the popularity of Reality TV Shows, then, having a Show promoting our Scór na nÓg Competitions, could benefit the Association three-fold.
o Our Clubs and Competitors who have been loyal to the Scór Competition for many years now have an opportunity to display their talents on our National TV Screens, and show people who are otherwise oblivious of our Competitions, the talent which exists within our Competitions.
o The idea that the top 3 acts in 5 of our Scór Competitions will be given the opportunity to audition for this new TV Series should be used as an incentive to invite more Young People into our Scór Competitions in the first place, with the appeal of being able to possibly compete in a brand new Reality Show as a consequence of doing well in the Scór Competition itself.
o After the first Series has been broadcast successfully - this could act as a catalyst for even more children to compete in Scór for 2014 and these competitors in turn have the opportunity to be Part of the 2014 TV Series.
As somebody who has been involved in Scór as a competitor, since the age of 14, as a past Divisional Scór Chairman and as the Current Oifigeach Gaelainne agus Cultúrtha i bPort Láirge , we have always been looking for an ideal opportunity to promote our Scór Competitions to a wider audience. I believe, with good Programme structure and a well thought out format beforehand, that this opportunity is the best that we have had in years to put our CLG Scór Competitions back on the platform where we feel they belong.