Organisers are calling for the next Marina Prior or Denis Walter to take part in this weekend’s singing contest at the Koroit Irish Festival with $1000 in prizemoney to be won.

Woodford minstrel Tali Morrissey won last year’s championship, singing an a cappella rendition of the Irish classic — a notoriously difficult approach that requires hitting the opening note without an instrumental cue. 

Competition co-ordinator Vivienne Porter said the event has been staged at the festival since 1998 with a swag of top talent stealing the limelight over the years.

“The singing talent that’s taken part in previous years has been incredible,” Ms Porter said. “We’ve seen instrumental-vocal combinations, pure vocal. The words are timeless, everyone knows them yet each singer can give their own different interpretation.”

The competition heats start at 1.30pm at the Commercial Hotel with the final scheduled for 4.30pm at the Koroit Theatre. People interested in participating in the competition should contact Ms Porter on 0402 758 429.