The Irish broadcaster TG4 was responsible for organising their entry for the contest through a national selection show entitled Junior Eurovision Éire.

[1] TG4 previously attempted to participate at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2014, but required funding from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), which was rejected.

[3] The selection process took place every Sunday starting on 9 October, in which thirty-two participants competed, and culminated into a final which was held on 6 November 2016.

[4] TG4 published details on the names of the professional jury who would determine the winner of the Junior Eurovision Éire 2016 and the representative for Ireland at the 2016 contest in November.

[4] Hannah McNicholas Roche and Walter McCabe both advanced to the final duel stage and performed their songs for the second time.

After their second performances, the jury members selected Walter McCabe as the winner of semi-final 1 and advances to the grand final on 6 November 2016.

Zena has won RTÉ's nationwide TV talent competition Show Off or Get Off, performed for Music Inc., and played the lead role in Annie at the National Concert Hall.

Zena was a special young guest at the Cheerios ChildLine Concert in the 3Arena alongside other artists including Olly Murs, Boyzone and McBusted.

Branching out from music, Zena has started to be cast in films such as The Food Guide To Love, Céad Ghrá, Cuckoo, Dance Emergency and A Christmas Star, where she also sings, among others, the theme song, "We Can Shine".

[14] Zena delivered a strong series of run-throughs of her mid-tempo song against a visually stunning backdrop of the night sky.