Ireland

Day 7: A crystal mask, a thunderstorm and Murphy’s Law

The penultimate day of rehearsal: it is becoming increasingly clear what the viewer can expect. Today we saw the last artists of the second semifinal. Let’s take a closer look at the rehearsals: AUSTRALIA: Whatever you think of Sheldon Riley, he sings like no other. During his emotional ballad he wears the white suit with the enormous drag of feathers. He wears his crystal mask for most of the act, but it goes off. It can’t be difficult for Australia to make it to the final. CYPRUS: For the first time in years, Cyprus is singing (partially) in Greek again. Andromache and her dancers stand in a kind of shell as they sing the song. We have to admit that we would describe Andromache’s vocals as ‘not bad’. If is that a recommendation….? IRELAND: Ireland falls into the ‘how nice’ category. Brooke’s vocals are certainly not bad, neither is the act. However, you may wonder if this is the song with which Ireland will finally reach the final again. We cannot rule out the possibility that it will not work. NORTH MACEDONIA: Perhaps Andrea had hoped for greater success. She was not happy with her first rehearsal. The song comes across as screaming; a hoarseness that suits Kaliopi (2012 and 2016) but not Andrea. ESTONIA: Unfortunately, Stefan can’t count on the 12 points from Armenia, because the country where his roots lie is performing in the other semifinal. The many movements he makes do have an effect on Stefan’s voice, but somehow it doesn’t seem to matter for the entry. It is a happy song that can easily go through to the final. ROMANIA: The Romanians made some minor changes to the act, making it even better and slicker. Furthermore, it seemed as if WRS had changed the melody of the chorus a little bit here and there. In any case, a spectacular show is in store for Romania. POLAND: The ballad of Polen starts very calmly with Ochman alone on stage. Halfway through, when the song becomes a little less quiet, the aforementioned dancers (forest nymphs?) come on stage. We see that a heavy thunderstorm erupts on the stage. Finally a strong contender for Poland agiain. MONTENEGRO: A ballad in which not much happens in 3 minutes. The advantage is that not much can go wrong. We had already mentioned the blue dress that Vladana is wearing. Behind her a circle that most resembles the fluff ball of a dandelion. It is not sure whether it stands out enough to go to the final. BELGIUM: The Belgians have a strong singer with a gospel-like power ballad in Jérémie Makiese. He will definitely get points for that. Fortunately, because the act he shows looks a bit stiff and doesn’t really do justice to the song and singer. SWEDEN: Murphy’s Law strikes. If one thing goes wrong, everything immediately goes wrong. Problems with the sound, problems with the technique and a falling cameraman meant that she was only able to do one whole runthrough. Cornelia did manage to show how professional she is, by showing a good rehearsal even with all that trouble. CZECH REPUBLIC: The act with lots of light and nice graphics fits very well with the Czech entry. In that respect it is a unity. The vocals, however, leave a lot to be desired. That could cost them their heads if it has to be clear who will go to the final.

Day 4: new sun troubles, a Swedish circle and many more

Today is the day of the stage again. Today the EBU has made an official statement about it: “During the technical tests in Turin, the production team has experienced challenges with how long it takes to adjust the “sun” to different positions in the time between the different performances. Together with the host station RAI it was therefore decided that the sun will remain in the same position during all 40 songs, to ensure a fair competition for all participating countries.”. What position that is, is still being discussed. So to be continued again. It is certain that a number of countries now have to make changes in their staging. Meanwhile, 9 countries rehearsed for their performance in the second semifinal. IRELAND: Brooke takes the stage in a bright blue suit. During her performance she is assisted by four dancers. They start the song lying on the floor! Ireland uses many floor projections. Brooke is also praised by Eurovision.tv for her strong voice. Pyrotechnics are used at the end of her performance. NORTH MACEDONIA: Andrea stands alone on the podium for North Macedonia. She sings her song completely wrapped in black leather. In her performance she uses the lifting bridges over the water. Shadows of hands are visible on the LED screens. The sun is not only orange but also white and blue. ESTONIA: Stefan starts his performance on the B stage. He is accompanied only by his guitar. Later in the song, he goes wild: then he uses the entire stage to present his performance. The two cowboys from the national final stayed home. ROMANIA: WRS from Romania wears glittering wetlook trousers. He also wears a red blouse, but according to Eurovision tradition, that goes off. He turns out to be wearing a sleeveless shirt with glitter underneath. There is a lot of dancing. As a result, the Romanian likely gets a lot of attention from the crowd. POLAND: The Polish competitor Ochman is also in black, he wears a black suit. He is assisted by four dancers, who seem to represent some kind of water spirits. Flashing light effects can be seen during the performance. The waterfall on the stage is also used… what else could we expect with a song about a river? MONTENEGRO: Vladana has her entire performance on the B stage. She wears a blue dress during her performance. The background is also blue, with splashes of white as graphics. Vladana mainly remains in one place. BELGIUM: The Belgian Jérémie Makiese impressed with his song. Jérémie is flanked by four dancers. He himself wears blue-grey trousers, a black shirt and a silver jacket, while the dancers wear black jackets. At the end of the act all the light falls on Jérémie, who is standing on a platform on which flames are projected. SWEDEN: Cornelia Jakobs ranks high among the bookmakers. As the Swedes always do, Cornelia Jakobs also puts on the same act as during the national final Melodifestivalen. The starry sky at the beginning, the large, first green and then red, circular plate right behind Cornelia, even the silver-black clothing and the bare feet are the same. CZECH REPUBLIC: The Czech group We Are Domi is the last to rehearse today. The group uses a lot of light, which makes you feel like you’re in a disco. Funny effect: the ‘sun’ on stage looks like a vinyl album here. Eurovision.tv mentions the cello-string guitar: the guitarist made it himself.

Blast from the past: Ireland 2001

We know a lot about Eurovision; this is knowledge we want to share with you. Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Back to 2001, the Irish entry: “Without your love” by Gary O’Shaughnessy. Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest The nineties were thé decade for Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest with no less than four victories and a second place. However, Dawn Martin (1998) and The Mullans (1999) did not make it to the top. Eamonn Toal (2000) became 6th… nice, but not as good as it was for Ireland. Something had to happen to get Ireland back on top. Eurosong 2001 The national final for the contest was called ‘Eurosong 2001’. Seven artists competed in Eurosong. On February 25, Louise Loughman hosted the contest. The winner was chosen by televoting through 7 regional juries. James Peake sang “Who said I pray“, 5th with 41 pts InFocus sang “Every kiss is a lie”, 2nd with 70 pts Gavin McCormack sang “I’ll be with you“, 6th with 34 pts David Murphy sang “Katie lovely“, 7th with 31 pts Fe-Mail sang “Undertow“, 3rd with 63 pts Gary O’Shaughnessy sang “Without your love“, 1st with 74 pts Emma Reynolds sang “The innocent days“, 4th with 51 pts It was a close call, and in total the boyband InFocus even received the most televotes while placing 2nd. Gary O’Shaughnessy Gary O’Shaughnessy is an Irish singer and songwriter. Besides singing, he plays guitar, bass guitar and keyboards. O’Shaughnessy started studying at age of 12 for four years with Irish jazz guitarist Eugene Macari. In 1989, he formed a band with his brother Brian and together they toured Ireland, Spain and the UK. In 1995, the two brothers performed as the duo “2 of a kind” which became very popular in cabarets, clubs and pubs. Gary O’Shaugnessy took part in the Irish National Song Contest in 1997, 1999 and 2001. The last one he won and so he represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. His cousin Ryan O’Shaughnessy did the same in 2018. Without your love The song “Without your love” is written and composed by Pat Sheridan. “Without your love, without your heart, I’d be lost here, in the dark”, Gary sang. You can read the full lyrics here. “Without your love” was a typical song in the tradition of Irish ballads. Results The Eurovision Song Contest was not a success for Gary O’Shaughnessy. To be honest: it became the worst Irish score so far. Only the United Kingdom (5 points) and Portugal (1 point) kept “Without your love” away from the zero points. O’Shaughnessy became 21st.

Blast from the past: Ireland 2003

We know a lot about Eurovision; this is knowledge we want to share with you. Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Back to 2003, we will talk about the Irish entry, “We’ve got the world”, sung by Mickey Harte. You’re a star In the days when Pop Idol was one of the most popular shows in the world, with national versions in every country, it was Ireland that decided not to have a regular national final. The Irish entry was chosen by a Pop Idol-like show called “You’re a star”. It all started with 13 artists: Azi Jegbefume, Brian Ormond, Catherine Yore, Catriona McGinty, Joanne Fahy, Lisa Bresnan, Michael Leonard, Mickey Harte, Sarah Brophy, Shauna & Coaoimhe McElhinney, Simon Casey, Susan McFadden and Susan McGowan. One by one, they got rejected every week. On february 24, four artists left presented a potential Eurovision song: 1.”I couldn’t love you more“, Michael Leonard (co-composed by Ronan Keating)2.”I’ll still be right here“, Lisa Bresnan3.”We’ve got the world“, Mickey Harte4.”A better plan“, Simon Casey (written and composed by Brian McFadden) Lisa Bresnan had to leave the show. On March 2nd, there was a semifinal. Now it was Michael Leonard who had to leave. The Irish audience now had to choose between Mickey Harte and Simon Casey. On March 8th it was Mickey who got the ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest in Riga. Mickey Harte Mickey Joe Harte was born on August 21, 1973 in Lifford, County Donegal. He started playing the guitar at the age of 13. When he was 18 years old, he wrote his first song, “Candlelight”, inspired by the first Gulf War. However, as a singer/songwriter in the 90s it was hard to get a real breakthrough in Ireland, at that moment the country of the boybands. The success finally came when he participated in the 2002/2003 season of “You’re a star”. As the winner of this contest, he got the ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest. The song, “We’ve got the world”, reached the number one spot in the Irish charts. An album followed. In 2006, Mickey released his 2nd album “Live and learn”. A year later, he could be seen in a reality television show called “Celebrities go wild”. It took a few years before Mickey’s third album “Forward to reality” was released. In 2017, we saw the release of the single “For the broken hearted”. We’ve got the world The song “We’ve got the world” was a love song. “We’ve got the world tonight, let’s hold on together. And we’ve got a love that’s right so open your heart ’cause we’ve got tonight”, Mickey sang. The song was not written by Mickey himself but by Martin Brannigan and Keith Molloy. You can read the full lyrics here. On stage in Riga, Mickey was joined by 3 backing singers, all participants from “You’re a star”: Sara Brophy, Susan McGowan and Catriona McGuinty. Results This was the last year without semifinals. So Mickey was placed directly in the final. The United Kingdom awarded the song with 12 points, both Portugal and Cyprus gave it their 7 points. With a total number of 53 points Mickey became 11th. That was enough for Ireland to be placed directly in the 2004 final.

Eurovision Universe Summer Party: Jedward – Lipstick

The Irish duo Jedward entered the Eurovision competition in 2011 with the song Lipstick. The duo went back home with 119 points, placing them on the 8th place in the contest. Make sure to follow us on Spotify and Youtube!

Road to Rotterdam: Ireland

Irish Lesley Roy had 2 hits in the United States in 2008. After that she was mainly busy writing songs for others. She did release a few singles herself, but they were not a success. In 2020 it all changed: Lesley Roy was internally selected for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “The story of my life”. It took a while, but in the end Irish broadcaster RTÉ chose her again to go to the contest in 2021. She will sing the song “Maps” in Rotterdam.

Lesley Roy

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameLesley Roy Born17 september 1986 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionInternal Selection In Eurovision2021 Rotterdam2020 Rotterdam (Cancelled) SongMaps (2021)Story of my life (2020) Biography Lesley Roy is an Irish singer, born in Balbriggan, Dublin. She first signed a record deal in 2006, which resulted in an album “Unbeautiful” in 2008. The first single “I’m gone, i’m going” became an international hit with chart successes in the UK, the USA, Germany and Norway. The follow up single “Unbeautiful” became an international success as well. Both songs were part of the American Reality TV Series The Hills. Another song on the album, “Slow goodbyes”, was co-written by Katy Perry. After her first album, Lesley started to write songs for others. She wrote songs for Adam Lambert, Ashlyne Huff, Jana Kramer, Marlee Scott, the Dutch singer Miss Montreal and the Danish singer Medina.In 2016, Lesley Roy released a couple of singles, but unfortunately they didn’t reach the charts. In 2020 she was chosen to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Story of my life”. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen, due to the cancellation of the contest. She was invited again to represent Ireland in 2021, which she did with the song “Maps”. The follow up for “Maps” was the song “I’ll be fine”. Also in 2021, she also opened for Boyzlife on their tour. Entries Maps Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2021 LanguageEnglish Lyrics & MusicLesley RoyLukas HällgrenPhilip StrandNormandieDeependEmelie Eriksson BackingsEmelie ErikssonPhilip Strand BackingsMalin VängeliinIngrid Vagle Results Semi Points: 20Position: 16Running order: 7 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/FY2rxbZNvZ0 Story of my life Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2020 LanguageEnglish LyricsLesley RoyRobert MarvinCatt Gravitt ComposersLesley RoyRobert MarvinCatt GravittTom Shapiro Backings– Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLgE0Ayl5Hc

Niamh Kavanagh

About Quick Facts NameNiamh Kavanagh Born13 February 1968 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionEurosong 2010The Irish National Song Contest 1993 In Eurovision2010 Oslo1993 Millstreet SongIt’s For You (2010)In Your Eyes (1993) Biography Niamh Kavanagh, born on 13 February 1968, is an acclaimed Irish vocalist celebrated for her victory at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1993 with her rendition of “In Your Eyes.” This achievement secured Ireland’s consecutive win in the prestigious competition. The event took place in Millstreet, County Cork, within the Republic of Ireland, marking a notable moment in Eurovision history. Born in Glasnevin, Dublin, to a musically inclined family, Kavanagh was exposed to a diverse range of musical influences from an early age, including Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, and Blood, Sweat and Tears, alongside Bonnie Raitt. Her early life was enriched with music, often performing at family gatherings. Her career also included notable contributions to the film soundtrack of “The Commitments,” where she lent her voice both as a lead and backing vocalist, featuring in tracks like “Destination Anywhere” and “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man.” Despite this experience, her subsequent Eurovision fame brought an unexpected surge in recognition. In the Eurovision Song Contest of 1993, a 25-year-old Kavanagh represented Ireland with “In Your Eyes,” securing her place in the competition through a commanding win in the national contest. Her performance in Millstreet was a close battle for points, ultimately winning with a record-breaking score at the time. The song became a significant hit, achieving double-platinum status and earning her widespread recognition, including a successful album recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. Following her musical career, Kavanagh chose to spend more time with her family. Returning to the Eurovision scene in 2010 for Ireland with “It’s for You,” she performed alongside family members, confirming her participation through a national selection on The Late Late Show. Her journey in the contest was well-supported, making it the first time in four years that Ireland reached the final, where she finished 23rd. Beyond Eurovision, Kavanagh’s appearances have included performing at notable events and on television shows, serving as the Irish spokesperson at the Eurovision contests in 2008 and 2023, participating as a guest performer in the Romanian National Final for Eurovision 2011, and contributing as a judge and in music videos related to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Entries It’s For You Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2010 LanguageEnglish LyricsLina Eriksson MusicNiall MooneyMårten ErikssonJonas Gladnikoff BackingsNichala KavanaghEdward O’LearyKarl PowerNiamh Kavanagh Results Semi Points: 67Position: 9Running order: 12 Results Finals Points: 25Position: 23Running order: 10 https://youtu.be/6SHg8gS-02Q?si=gftKgNMMLB4YgKso In Your Eyes Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year1993 LanguageEnglish LyricsJimmy Walsh MusicJimmy Walsh BackingsPatricia O’NeillGarrett WallMartina Tobin Results Points: 187Position: 1Running order: 14 https://youtu.be/C-Vamz7UAfQ?si=6YAXBMvQurdQ1oS4

Nicky Byrne

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameNicholas Byrne jr. Born09 October 1978 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionInternal selection 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongSunlight (2016) Biography Nicky Byrne is an Irish singer, songwriter, radio- and television presenter. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1978. Byrne began his football career playing for Home Farm and St. Kevins Boys in North Dublin. He turned professional and joined Leeds United as a goalkeeper in 1995, playing for their FA Youth Cup winning team in 1997. After two years at Leeds, he played for Scarborough in a reserve game and had a trial game with Cambridge United before returning to Dublin to join Shelbourne. He later played for Cobh Ramblers and St. Francis F.C. in Ireland’s League of Ireland. On May 14, 2009, Byrne was a substitute for a Liverpool Legends XI team in a Hillsborough Memorial match. He represented the Republic of Ireland at various youth levels and is a fan of Celtic FC. In 2011, he played in a Celtic Legends XI match against a Manchester United Legends team. Byrne also participated in and won Soccer Aid 2014, scoring a goal in the match. In terms of music, Byrne joined the Irish boyband Westlife in 1998 along with Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden. With Westlife, he achieved numerous chart successes and sold over 55 million records worldwide. He also co-wrote many of the band’s songs. In 2016, he represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Sunlight.” Westlife reunited in 2018 and embarked on a tour in 2019 to celebrate their 20th anniversary. They also released new music, including the single “Hello My Love” from their album “Spectrum.” On television, Byrne has hosted and appeared on various shows. He hosted an edition of CD:UK in 2003 and the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics in 2003. He has made multiple appearances on Children in Need and Comic Relief. Byrne narrated stage shows and hosted the Cheerios ChildLine Concert multiple times. He presented the Celebrity Sunday radio program on RTÉ 2fm in 2010 and hosted the reality TV show Football’s Next Star in 2012. Byrne co-hosted the TV talent show The Hit. He also hosted radio shows and a National Lottery game show. Since 2017, he has been hosting the Irish version of “Dancing with the Stars.” In 2020, he hosted RTÉ Does Comic Relief, and in 2021, he was announced as the host of the singing competition Last Singer Standing. Entries Sunlight Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsNicky ByrneWayne HectorRonan Hardiman MusicNicky ByrneWayne HectorRonan Hardiman BackingsJanet GroganJennifer HealingJay BolandIan WhitePaul Kenny Results Semi Points: 46Position: 15Running order: 7 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/ezJsUMD-y-I

Ryan Dolan

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts NameRyan Dolan Born22 July 1985 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionEurosong 2013 In Eurovision2013 Malmö SongOnly Love Survives (2013) Biography Ryan Dolan (born 22 July 1985) is an Irish pop singer. He was born in Strabane in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Dolan’s track “Only Love Survives” clinched the top spot in Ireland’s Eurosong 2013. This victory set him on the path to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden. Dolan showcased his song during the semi-final at the Malmö Arena on 14 May 2013, securing his spot in the final with a top-ten finish. However, in the climactic final on 18 May 2013, he secured the last spot, with support from only three countries totaling five points. Dolan launched his first album, “Frequency”, on 13 May 2013. His second single, “Start Again”, was released on 7 March 2014, following his public revelation about his sexuality on RTÉ Radio 1. The music video, illustrating a tragic story of a gay teenager’s suicide, garnered over a million views on YouTube. Dolan became a prominent figure within LGBT circles and performed at several pride events, such as Pride in Newry 2014 and Bristol Pride 2015. His third single, “Fall to the Floor”, released on 20 June 2014, achieved a moderate position on the Irish Recorded Music Association chart, ranking 88th. In a heartfelt interview on RTÉ Radio 1 in February 2014, Dolan opened up about his sexuality, revealing he’s gay. He reflected on his school years, describing his struggle with self-acceptance and the challenge of finding someone to confide in. In June of the same year, he released the song “Fall to the Floor” about this subject. On 20 November 2015, he unveiled his fourth single, “Uptown Downtown”. His collection of covers culminated in the album “Under the Covers, Vol.1”, which was released on 19 February 2016. The album reached the no. 1 spot in the Irish album charts a year later. In October 2020, Ryan Dolan released a new song and video, “Colours”. Entries Only Love Survives Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2013 LanguageEnglish LyricsWez DevineRyan Dolan MusicWez DevineRyan Dolan BackingsLeanne MooreAlison Vard MillerColm Farrel (drums)Alan McGrath (drums)Nicky Bailey (drums) Results Semi Points: 54Position: 8Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: 5Position: 26Running order: 26 https://youtu.be/4tgtyl_5x5Y?si=9y3PsOd0kmA2tlhU