Search
21 Feb 2026
Search
21 Feb 2026
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Three Laois teenagers are competing on Réalta Agus Gaolta, an exciting trad talent show on TG4.
Camross siblings Polly, Lila and Rian Nolan perform with Camross Comhaltas, Music Generation Laois and the Leinster Youth Trad Orchestra.
The teenagers are well known within Laois' trad scene, and performed the Apples in Winter jig and the Whiskey Hollow reel in episode one.
The siblings will be back performing again in the Wildcard episode on February 22.
"They loved doing it, they were very excited," their father Rob Nolan told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.
"Rían was a bit daunted, Polly loved every minute of it, and Lila is fairly laid back- it was great for them," he said.
Fifteen year old twins Lila and Polly played the keyboard and the fiddle, while 13 year old Rían played the bodhrán.
The father of three explained that when the children reached a high standard where they could participate on Fleadhs and comhaltas events, the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
The Nolan family were scouted for TG4's Réalta Agus Gaolta at the Leinster Fleadh in 2025.
"The programme promoters saw me sitting with kids between competitions in the school, we were approached and asked if we were a family. They gave us the flyer for the series, and said they're always looking for performers," he explained.
"We had a think and asked the kids what they thought, they said they wanted to take part. They put together a piece for an audition tape, they were picked up and asked to come along. It was nerve-wrecking for the kids, but they are used to performing in front of an audience."
The siblings have a lot of freedom in the choosing of their pieces to perform on the show, which they have valued greatly.
"The competition is tough as there are a lot of good groups and bands, but it's nice to see them orchestrating their pieces together," Mr Nolan finished.
To see the full episode of Réalta Agus Gaolta featuring the Nolan family (22 minutes onwards), click here.
Video credit: Réalta Agus Gaolta, TG4
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
