On this page I will keep track of the Eurovision related news stories from Ireland. 

17th February 2006

Tonight's Eurosong selection is a real cross-border affair. Brian Kennedy hails from Belfast in Northern Ireland and follows a long tradition of people from north of the border representing Ireland at Eurovision. The first Northern Irish singer to do so with Muriel Day in 1969 and the most recent were The Mullans who sang in Jerusalem in 1999. Two of Ireland's Eurovision winners were performed by singers who were born in Northern Ireland. Dana sung "All Kinds Of Everything" to victory in Amsterdam in 1970 and in 1992 Linda Martin won in Malmö with "Why Me?".

Needless to say, with one of their own best known singers performing the Irish entry in Athens, there is a lot of interest in Northern Ireland in tonight's selection. RTÉ is available in almost all of Northern Ireland and RTÉ has announced the phone numbers which people from there can use to vote in tonight's selection;
To vote for "The Greatest Song Of All" call: 0905 020 0031
To vote for "All Over The World" call: 0905 020 0032
To vote for "Every Song Is A Cry For Love" call: 0905 020 0033

BBC Northern Ireland has also had an interview with Brian Kennedy on tonight's Newsline show. You can watch the show here (move the timer to 21 minutes).

17th February 2006

So after months of speculation, rumour, news and controversy the day of Ireland's Eurovision selection for 2006 has finally arrived. By 23.30 GMT this evening we will know which of the three songs selected from over 1,300 submissions will be sung by Brian Kennedy at the 51st Eurovision Song Contest in Athens on May 18th (and hopefully also in the final on May 20th). The programme is already receiving regular promotion slots on RTÉ television and a big viewing and televoting audience is expected to tune in to the "Late Late Show Eurosong 2006". 

RTÉ has also leapt into action on the web, and the great news for Eurovision fans all over the World is that you can see the show live on the internet. Check this page from around 21.15 GMT tomorrow evening for a link to the live stream. RTÉ's decision to stream the selection has not changed my plans to cover the show, which I outlined below. Hopefully the live feed will mean that there's less demand on my bandwidth.

A little more information on the three songs has also been made available by RTÉ. Jimmy McCarthy's "The Greatest Song Of All" apparently tells of how nature never doubts its ability, the song is a celebration of nature's effortless brilliance. The first verse was written after listening to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and the rest of the song came after a walk in the Wicklow countryside. Don Mescall's "'All Over The World', was inspired by watching his seven year old daughter Eve playing. The song is apparently about tolerance, hope, understanding and the wisdom we could learn from children. Brian Kennedy isn't revealing anything about his own song "Every Song Is A Cry For Love" beyond the fact that it was originally written for his next album. However don't be surprised if Brian  ends up recording all three songs.

So there you have it. Don't forget that this "Late Late Show" is a Eurovision special and will also feature Ireland's favourite entries from the past. 

A final reminder of the telephone numbers;

To vote for "The Greatest Song Of All" call: 1513 71 71 01 or text SONG A to 53600
To vote for "All Over The World" call: 1513 71 71 02 or text SONG B to 53600
To vote for "Every Song Is A Cry For Love" call: 1513 71 71 03 or text SONG C to 53600

All going well the first files from the show will appear on the Home Page around 22.00 and I will be reviewing the show on Saturday and also posting a selection of your comments which you can send me by email.

16th February 2006

The dust now appears to have settled over the controversies which have dogged tomorrow night's Irish Eurovision selection. Yesterday a spokesman for RTE was defiant in defending the selection process saying that "Brian Kennedy has an international reputation. There is no Eurovision rule against a singer performing his own work. It's not surprising he should reach the shortlist. Indeed it would be unfair to exclude him because he is a singer. We are looking for the best song to represent Ireland". The spokesman added "we didn't say that the judges would listen to all the songs; we said that a committee would select the final four". He said that the screening panel had musical backgrounds.

From a personal perspective I hope that this will be the final chapter in the story and the public can now concentrate on selecting the best song from the three remaining finalists. Meanwhile Paddy Power, Ireland's biggest bookmaker has opened up a book on the selection. According to their website "The Greatest Song of All" written by Jimmy McCarthy is the favourite at 5/4 with Brian Kennedy's "Every Song Is A Cry For Love" at 2/1 The same price is on offer for "All Over The World" written by Don Mescall. It's impossible to tell whether the bookmaker has "inside knowledge" of the songs (which haven't received any public airplay) or whether it's the reputation of Jimmy McCarthy that has caused his song to be made favourite. Either way, you can follow the latest odds here. 

I have received several inquiries as to how this website will be covering tomorrow night's show, given that it is not being broadcast live on the internet. My plans are to record each song as it is performed and to make MP3s available as soon as possible afterwards. My intention (technology permitting) is to have all the songs available to listen to within 15 minutes of them being performed.  This will mean that visitors to this site can hear the songs and choose their own favourite before the Irish public chooses the winner. I will also be opening a poll, to get people's reactions to the songs.

I also intend to make a video of the winning song available as soon as possible, and if technology permits, put videos of the other two songs on the site as well. As I make updates to the site, you will see them by refreshing the home page of this site.

14th February 2006

One controversy may be resolved, leaving us with three songs in the Irish Eurovision selection but another issue continues to draw media attention. Ever since singer Brian Kennedy was announced as a songwriter of one of the songs in next Friday night's competition, there has been a question overshadowing the selection process which chose the four songs. Irish Times journalist John Waters (left), is the latest to let off steam on national radio.

On this afternoon's "Livelive", Waters who also two potential entries to the selection, was interviewed at length  by Joe Duffy. Waters and other contributors to the show raised many interesting points regarding the potential conflict of interest for Brian Kennedy in singing other songs which are up against his own. Waters also pointed out that re-opening the song submission process gave an advantage to those who had extra time to work on their songs. However most interestingly the interview shed further light of the whole selection process which chose the four (now three) finalists.

Apparently only a faction of the songs submitted to RTÉ actually made to the panel of experts who were chosen to select the best songs. Instead there was apparently  a pre-selection process which weeded out 90% of the entries. No one knows who was involved in this pre-selection, what criteria were used and why this information is only now being made public. 

Given that over a thousand songs were submitted to RTÉ, it is hardly surprising that a form of pre-selection was used, but these questions remain to be answered by RTÉ. Either way, the it appears that this year's Irish Eurosong competition will not be short of media attention. 

13th February 2006

RTÉ has now confirmed that "Strong Enough" written by Barry Walsh is ineligible for Ireland's Eurovision selection and the song will now not take part in Friday night's competition. The reason why the song was disqualified is as I mentioned yesterday; it had been released commercially in 2002, albeit on the b-side of single which was not a major seller. The rules which RTÉ published are in line with those of the E.B.U., which organises the Eurovision Song Contest. Had the song competed on Friday and won the public televote, then it would have been disqualified, which would have been a far bigger embarrassment for all concerned.

This is far from being the first disqualification in a 2006 Eurovision selection. In Cyprus nine of the original twenty songs were in breach of the Cypriot broadcaster's rule, however all of these were replaced by songs which were originally rejected. However RTÉ has decided that they will not replace "Strong Enough" in the Irish final and there will now only be three songs in competition.

This isn't the first time a song has had to be removed from Irish Eurovision selection. Indeed the last time we had a traditional Eurovision selection in 2001 only seven songs competed after one of the original finalists had to be withdrawn, for a similar breach of the rules.  

The new telephone lines are as follows;

To vote for "The Greatest Song Of All" call: 1513 71 71 01 or text SONG A to 53600
To vote for "All Over The World" call: 1513 71 71 02 or text SONG B to 53600
To vote for "Every Song Is A Cry For Love" call: 1513 71 71 03 or text SONG C to 53600

Irish fans that have heard "Strong Enough" on radio today have expressed disappointment that it will not be included in the Eurosong selection and it is obviously disappointing that we now have only three songs to choose from on Friday night next. However two things that might cheer people up have been pointed out to me by email. Firstly, "Strong Enough" is certainly a perfect song for Brian Kennedy and for Eurovision, and hopefully this suggests that the other three songs are of a similarly high standard.

Secondly, the exact same thing happened  in Greece last year. Helena Paparizou (left) was originally to perform four songs in the Greek Eurovision selection. However one of the songs ("The Light Of My Soul") was disqualified. Like "Strong Enough"  it had been previously released by a different singer. Again like RTÉ, Greek television decided to run with just three songs, and the rest as they say is history. "My Number One" was chosen, and won in Kyiv. Perhaps we should put this whole affair down as a good omen from Ireland in Athens.  

12th February 2006

One of the four songs which was included in the four songs which Brian Kennedy will sing in the Irish Eurovision selection on Friday night next could be in trouble. The OGAE Ireland site is reporting that songwriter Barry Walsh had a song called "Strong Enough" as the B-Side to the John Walsh & Roisin O'Reilly single "Homes Of Donegal" out a few years ago (the A-Side was used on the "Donegal Catch" advert). The earlier "Strong Enough" is a soaring Celtic melody and represented Ireland in the 2002 OGAE Song Contest. If it is the same song, then this would break the rule on Eurovision entries not being commercially available before October 2005. RTÉ has been contacted, so we await further news. 

11th February 2006

With just one week to go before the Irish public chooses our 2006 Eurovision entry, the names of the four songs and songwriters were announced on last night's "Late Late Show". The songs were drawn at random by Pat Kenny, and this is the order in which they will be performed on next Friday evening's "Late Late Show" Eurovision special;

1. "Strong Enough" written and composed by Barry Walsh   

2. "The Greatest Song Of All" written and composed by Jimmy McCarthy

3. "All Over The World" written and composed by Don Mescall

4. "Every Song Is A Cry For Love" written and composed by Brian Kennedy

Barry says: "It is great to have come this far, but it would be wonderful if the song was chosen to represent Ireland in the Eurovision, particularly as Brian will be singing it." Barry Walsh is not a familar name to me, so I've got to assume that this is an amateur songwriters who managed to come up with the right formula in a field of over 1,300 songs. 

Jimmy McCarthy is widely recognised as one of the greatest Irish songwriters of the past thirty years. The popular Cork singer and songwriter specialises in folk flavoured melodies with powerful and emotive lyrics. Among his best known songs are "Ride On" which was covered successfully by Christy Moore and "No Frontiers" and "Katie" which were both massively successful when recorded by Mary Black. The Corrs have also recently recorded "No Frontiers". Other Jimmy McCarthy songs like "Ancient Rain", "Neidín" and "Adam At The Window" are also well known to most Irish people. Indeed so popular are his songs that a couple of years ago they were compiled into a special collection for musicians, called "No Frontiers; The Jimmy McCarty Songbook". There is hardly a folk singer anywhere in Ireland that hasn't a Jimmy Walsh song in their repertoire.

It has to be said that RTÉ must be delighted to have had a song submitted by someone of the reputation and experience of Jimmy McCarty. The Corkman may not be the first person that would come to mind when looking for an entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, but there is no doubt that his style of song would be a perfect vehicle for the voice of Brian Kennedy.   

Don Mescall (left) is another familiar name on the Irish music scene. Originally from the village Lisnagry close to Limerick city. Don’s musical journey began in local pubs where he sang 6 or 7 nights a week. However with a desire to find fame and fortune, he followed the route of many Irish musicians and headed for London. His reputation quickly grew and he gained his break with supporting famous American singer songwriter Richie Havens. Don was warming up for the gig with a new song he had just written called "Paradise", Richie heard the track and fell in love with it and recorded the song on his album "Wishing Well". Don's reputation spread and his talent as a performer has also gained him a recording contract with Curb Records (the same label as Brian Kennedy).

While being a successful performer in his own right, it is Don's work as a songwriter that has brought him even more attention. Former Eurovision winner Lulu has recorded his song "Time To Fall" while Frances Black has recorded several of Don's songs. Don Mescall's songs tend to be reflective and strong folk flavored ballads in the classic Irish singer/songwriter tradition and once again would suit Brian Kennedy's voice and style.

Brian Kennedy will also perform one of his own songs in the Eurovision selection. For weeks it had been widely rumoured that Brian had submitted a couple of songs, and over the past couple of weeks a rumour circulated that one of these had made it into the final four. While many of Brian's best known recordings like "Crazy Love" and "You Raise Me Up" are the work of other songwriters and his two most recent albums have been of traditional Irish music, most of his bigger hits were with his own compositions.  Songs like "A Better Man", "Life, Love And Happiness" and "Put The Message In The Box" were all UK Top 40 hits and there is no question there is a lot of variety in Brian's songwriting, ranging from the poppier hits to more reflective ballads.

Quite what kind of song Brian has written for the Eurovision selection is therefore probably hardest to guess. However with a rather sickly sweet title, it may be speculated that this is most probably a ballad. 

The voting numbers for next week's show have also been released. These will only work in Ireland and the voting lines will not open until the last song has been performed.
To vote for "Strong Enough" call: 1513 71 71 01 or text SONG A to 53600
To vote for "The Greatest Song Of All" call: 1513 71 71 02 or text SONG B to 53600
To vote for "All Over The World" call: 1513 71 71 03 or text SONG C to 53600
To vote for "Every Song Is A Cry For Love" call: 1513 71 71 04 or text SONG D to 53600
Votes cost 60c. Calls from mobiles may cost more.

If you vote, you not only have a say in determining Ireland's Eurovision entry for 2006, but you could also win a Renault Cabrio car. Everyone who votes for the winning song will be entered into a draw and the winner will be announced at the end of the show.

If that wasn't enough, "The Late Late Show" is also looking to find Ireland's favourite Eurovision entry of all time and you could win a the holiday of a lifetime in one of the world's most luxurious hotels. The prize is one week's holiday for two people in the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai and also includes €2,000 spending money. Full details are on www.rte.ie/tv/latelate/ and on page 58 of this week's RTÉ guide (cover on the left).

Next week's show promises to be one of the most exciting Irish Eurovision selections ever, with a top quality performer and the songs of some of Ireland's greatest songwriters. The postcards submitted by people with their favourite Irish Eurovision entries will go to make up a Top 10 of Irish Eurovision entries and it will be interesting to see how close that chart is to this website's similar vote conducted last year. You can read more about that poll here. 

Several former Irish Eurovision stars are believed to be taking part in next week's show as well, so don't forget to tune into RTÉ 1 at 21.30 on Friday February 17th. I believe that the show will not be shown live on the internet, but it will be available on RTE's website, a couple of days later. RTE is Later this week I will be letting you know how this website will cover the show.

5th February 2006

I'm a little reticent to call the first two paragraphs of today's update "News" as none of it has been officially confirmed, but seeing as I don't have an "Irish Rumours" section on my site, this is probably the best place for the story. If various sources are correct (and I stress the "if") we are now beginning to see the first signs of white smoke emerging from the selection process for Ireland's 2006 Eurovision entry. If the stories are true, the re-opening of the deadline to submit entries and the amazing promotion from RTÉ has certainly paid off, as the number of songs submitted to the national broadcaster may have exceed 1,000, which I believe may be a new record level of interest . Some reports are suggesting 1,300 which would we quite startling. 

The level of interest has apparently meant that another person has been added to the judging panel. Singer and songwriter Juliet Turner (pictured left) has previously collaborated with Brian Kennedy and if true would certainly add to the already powerful judging panel of Brendan Graham, Shay Healy and Paul Brady. The four songs which will compete have apparently now been selected and the next week may see more details emerging. If the rumour mill is correct then one of the four songs in the final on February 17th was written by Brian Kennedy himself, while another may be the work of Liam Lawton the well known composer and musician, who's song "Séol" performed by the Vard Sisters came second in the Irish National Final in 1998.

While we await news of Ireland's entry in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, a former contributor to the show was honoured this week in Dublin. Limerick born Bill Whelan is probably best known as the composer of "Riverdance" the interval act in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. This is by far the most successful interval piece in the contest's history and went on to be a global phenomenon playing to full houses all over the world when it was extended to a full scale theatre show. "Riverdance" was Bill's second Eurovision interval. In 1981 he co-composed "Timedance" with Donal Lunny. The piece which was performed at the show in Dublin's R.D.S. was recorded by Lunny's group Plaxtry and was a sizeable success in Ireland.

On Thursday night last Bill Whelan was awarded the prestigious Industry Award for achievement at the Meteor Awards (Ireland's equivalent of the Grammys or Brits). The citation on the award makes pretty impressive reading.

Bill Whelan has been a leading light in the Irish music industry for twenty six years. His work with Irish traditional music and musicians spans his career from 1980 when he was a member of the legendary Planxty to producing records for many folk artists including Andy Irvine, Patrick Street, Stockton’s Wing, Davy Spillane and Bulgarian/Irish band, East Wind. His production and arranging credits also include U2, Van Morrison, Kate Bush, Richard Harris and The Dubliners.

Bill has worked extensively in theatre throughout his career; his adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore had successful runs at London’s Old Vic, Melbourne and Sydney and received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination. In 1989 he was appointed as composer to the W.B. Yeats International Theatre Festival at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre, since then he has written original music for 15 Yeats plays.

His specially commissioned orchestral work, The Seville Suite, received its European premiere performance at the Maestranza in Seville as part of the celebrations for Ireland’s National Day at Expo ’92. The last movement of this work was danced by Maria Pagés who later starred in Riverdance. His next large scale orchestral work, The Spirit Of Mayo, was first performed in 1993 by and 85-piece orchestra in Dublin’s National Concert Hall. Together with the choral group Anúna, this piece also featured a powerful Celtic drum corps and a 200 strong choir. His trilogy of pieces written for the Irish Chamber Orchestra titled, “Inishlacken”, “Carna”, and “Errisbeg” were inspired by the extraordinary views of the Connemara countryside and sea. Concert performances featured soloists Zoë Conway, Fionnuala Hunt, Michelle Mulcahy, Morgan Crowley and Colin Dunne.

Riverdance was originally composed for the interval act of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. It was an orchestral piece conceived for hard-shoe Irish dance and televised to a European audience of 300 million viewers. As a single, Riverdance spent 18 weeks at no.1 in the Irish charts and was a Top Ten hit in the UK. Bill was honoured with the 1997 Grammy Award for ‘Best Musical Show Album’ for his Riverdance record. The CD is a certified Platinum record in the US, Ireland and Australia.

In 1987, he wrote his first major orchestral suite commemorating the film music of the noted Irish composer Sean O’Riada, which was conducted by Elmer Bernstein and performed by the Irish National Symphony Orchestra. His own compositional work in film includes Lamb starring Liam Neeson, Sean O Mordha’s historical documentary series The Seven Ages, the Terry George/Jim Sheridan film Some Mother’s Son and the score for the film version of Dancing At Lughnasa starring Meryl Streep. His song "Quis Est Deus", performed by Charlotte Church and the Monks of Glenstal Abbey Choir, was featured in the animated classic "A Christmas Carol”.

He has recently written and recorded a new composition, “Emerald Tiger”, which appears on the album ‘Choreography’ by the classical violinist Vanessa-Mae. Bill is currently writing a new stage musical.

28th January 2006

The extended deadline for submitting potential Eurovision entries to RTÉ, passed yesterday and over the next couple of weeks, I hope to have some more information regarding the selection of the four songs that will be in competition to represent Ireland in Athens in May. One way or another it looks like RTÉ will has received more songs than almost every other broadcaster competing in this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Rumours regarding potential songwriters are rife and it will be interesting to discover how many of these names are real, if indeed we ever find out the full story.

One thing for sure is that Brian Kennedy is going to be a pretty busy man in February, rehearsing four new songs in time for the selection show on February 17th and this week it was announced that he will have another high profile gig, later in the month. On Sunday February 26th the Irish rugby team will play current "Six Nations" champions Wales in Dublin's Lansdowne Road, in one of the final major fixtures before the stadium is closed for re-construction. Brian Kennedy has been asked to perform the anthems of both teams before the game. The Welsh anthem is "The Land Of My Fathers while the Irish anthem "Amhrán na bhFiann" (The Soldiers Song) is traditionally sung in Irish Gaelic. This match which is broadcast live in Ireland, the United Kingdom and France and in other countries on satellite, is another chance for Brian to raise his profile.

Interestingly last year there was another Eurovision connection to an Irish sporting team. In the football World Cup qualifier in Tel Aviv between the Republic of Ireland and Israel, the Israeli national anthem was performed by Shiri Maymon who went on to represent Israel in Kyiv, finishing 4th and giving that country its best result since 1998. Hopefully this is a good omen for Brian in Athens.

20th January 2006

There have been some interesting developments in Ireland's 2006 Eurovision search. The good news is that we now have a date for the selection show. Ireland's Eurovision entry will be chosen by the public on Friday February 17th, in a special "Late Late Show" on RTÉ 1. As already announced Brian Kennedy (left) will perform four potential Eurovision entries and the public will choose the winner in a televote. The winning song which will be performed in Athens in May will thereby become Ireland's 40th Eurovision entry. The show will apparently also include a look back on Ireland's forty year history in the Eurovision Song Contest and will feature a Top 10 of Ireland's Eurovision entries. There will also be interviews with Ireland's former participants. However being a "Late Late Show" means that audience tickets for the event will be next to impossible to get. 

Just as interesting is the fact that RTE has extended the deadline for song submission to January 27th. Quite why this has been done has already been the source of some speculation. Given that RTÉ received an almost record number of songs (confirmed by RTÉ over 500), it's not as if there wasn't a sufficient amount of songs entered. The panel of experts which set about selecting the four best songs may have felt that there was more quantity than quality in the submissions. However, a far more likely reason is that some songwriters felt that the time they were given to submit their songs was not enough, as the original December deadline, came barely five weeks after the competition was announced. This left little time to write the song, find a singer, have it recorded and transferred to CD, as required by RTE. Interestingly in a recent interview on RTÉ radio, former Eurovision winner Johnny LOgan said that he would have liked to submit a song, but had missed the original RTÉ deadline. The re-opening of the competition now allows Johnny and other songwriters a second chance. RTÉ has now confirmed the story on their website. 

Quite when the four songs in the competition will be made public, has not been announced, but given that there is only three weeks between the new deadline and the selection show, it means that Brian Kennedy will certainly be a very busy man rehearsing four new songs.   

The early date of the selection is also interesting. In recent years RTÉ has tended to leave it late to select their entry, often choosing the song only a few days before the EBU deadline. This year the Irish entry will be chosen a full month before that deadline. Indeed you have to go back to 1979 for an earlier Irish Eurovision selection. That year Cathal Dunne and "Happy Man" was chosen on February 4th. Only twice in the intervening years has the selection been made in February; in 2000 when "Millennium Of Love" was chosen on February 20th and a year later when "Without Your Love" was selected on February 25th.  

11th January 2006

Ireland's most successful Eurovision singer was back in the country last week. Johnny Logan was interviewed on RTÉ Radio One's "Tubridy Show" on Friday last and talked a lot about his career, modern Eurovision and his pet loves and hates. Johnny is currently working as a member of the expert jury in the Belgian Eurovision selection and later in the year he will be releasing a new album and touring with Paul Young. Johnny is also scheduled to go to South Africa to record a new video, but he's also hoping to play some "unplugged" charity gigs in Ireland, later this year. 

Johnny listed "begrudgery" (the criticism of successful people) as one of his pet hates. He also mentioned his distaste for reality television shows, particularly talent shows like "You're A Star" and "X Factor", and was especially critical of "You're A Star" judge Brendan O'Connor for his harsh treatment of contestants. Johnny was obviously not fond of "You're A Star" being used to select our Eurovision entrants in recent years, saying that choosing the singer before the song, was putting the "cart before the horse" and he also complained about it being a moneymaking scheme and also how the regional voting distorted the result.

By contrast, Johnny was fulsome in his praise of Ireland's 2006 Eurovision singer Brian Kennedy, describing his as "a brilliant singer, a really nice guy and a very professional young man" and he said that he thought Brian would do a very good job for Ireland. However he also supported the idea of returning to an old style National Song Contest, if the result in Athens was disappointing. Dispelling rumours, Johnny stated that he had not written a song for this year's Irish selection and was concentrating on his own album. 

Johnny was also in support of the idea of bringing the orchestra back to Eurovision, describing the contest as too similar to karaoke in recent years. He also supported better training for drivers and Aer Lingus bringing back business class. 

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9th January 2006

Brian Kennedy's version of "You Raise Me Up" from the George Best tribute single continues to gain sales and airplay in the United Kingdom. The live recording from George Best's funeral is now gaining airplay on many radio stations while in the new sales chart, the single has climbed from number #11 to #4. Although Brian (like George Best) originally hails from Belfast, it is almost unprecedented for a someone representing a "foreign" country in Eurovision to score such a big chart hit before the contest. The most recent example was Russian duo t.A.T.u., who's single "All The Things She Said" topped the chart in early 2003, months before they competed in Eurovision. For other examples you have to go back to the 1970's when Baccara and Silver Convention reached the Top 10 before competing at the contest.    

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2nd January 2006

In a special programme counting down the biggest selling singles in Ireland over the past decade, Mickey Harte's "We've Got The World" was #5. The 2003 Irish Eurovision entry sold almost 100,000 copies and was the biggest selling single of the year while only  finishing 11th in the contest staged in Riga. During the programme which was transmitted on New Year's Eve it was revealed how Mickey was initially very resistant to "We've Got The World" and how he was given half an hour to decide if he was going to perform the song, or to leave the show. However once he decided to carry on, it was obvious how committed he was to giving the song the best possible performance. Since 2003 Mickey Harte and his former record company Sony, have gone their separate ways. Mickey has recently recorded his second album, with some top Swedish producers, and it is expected to be released early in 2006, a single "Nine Lives" will be released shortly

The biggest selling Irish single of the past decade was by the "Popstars" group Six, who's debut single "There's A Whole Lot Of Loving" topped the charts in 2002. The other positions in the Top 5 were filled by Mark McCabe's "Maniac 2000" (#2), Westlife's "Uptown Girl" (#3) and Richie Kavanagh's "Aon Focal Eile" (#4).

Meanwhile there's more good news for Brian Kennedy in this week's singles charts in Ireland and the U.K. The George Best tribute single which features Brian's live version of "You Raise Me Up" has made huge climbs in both countries. In Ireland the single has rocketed from #26 to #3 giving Brian his biggest hit for many years, while in the new U.K. Top 40 the single has climbed from #21 to #11 and seems likely to give Belfast born Brian his first U.K. Top 10 hit next week.

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27th December 2005

While RTÉ wades through the hundreds of potential Eurovision submissions, the exact number of songs which were received before the deadline has still to be confirmed. The final number of entries which meet the criteria (including having a recorded version submitted on CD) seems likely to be between 600 and 800. Whatever number is finally confirmed is certain to be the highest for decades. Apparently you have to go back to the 1960s and early 1970s to find this level of interest in the Irish song selection. It is likely that RTÉ will receive more potential entries than almost any other broadcaster competing in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. 

However the submission process hasn't been without its critics. Raymond Smith, the writer Ireland's 2000 entry "Millennium Of Love", said that the notice given was "inadequate and totally insufficient". The initial call for entries was made on November 14th and the deadline was December 17th, less than five weeks later. Despite this it is believed that Smith has entered songs for consideration.

While Brian Kennedy awaits news of the songs which he will perform in the Irish selection, he has had some great news from this week's Irish and UK singles chart. Despite only being on sale for one day (for chart purposes) his recording of "You Lift Me Up" which is the lead track on the George Best Tribute single, entered the Irish Top 40 at #26. Given that this is the busiest week of the year for single sales, this is a magnificent achievement and the single seems bound for the Top 10 in the next couple of weeks

In the U.K. Top 40 announced on Sunday last the single made an even more impressive debut, charting at #21. What makes this even more remarkable is the fact that the single was not available in England, Scotland or Wales, and reached the chart, based on two days sales in Northern Ireland alone. The single has since been released throughout the United Kingdom, and seems destined for a major climb when the new chart is announced on January 1st. It is already Brian Kennedy's highest placed chart position in the U.K.

One man that you can't seem to keep away fro the Eurovision Song Contest is Johnny Logan. Johnny remains the only person to sing two Eurovision winners ("What's Another Year" in 1980 and "Hold me Now" in 1987) as well as writing two contest winners ("Hold Me Now" and "Why Me?" in 1992). Johnny was last seen (right) presenting the Irish votes in 2004 and also appeared in the special "Congratulations" show in October 2005.

In both 2004 and 2005 Johnny Logan wrote songs which competed in the Dutch Eurovision selection, and while his 2004 song failed to make the final, the song which he wrote in 2005; "How Does It Feel", performed by the vocal harmony group Airforce, finished second to the eventual Dutch entry "My Impossible Dream".    

For 2006 Johnny will be helping Belgium's Eurovision cause, as he will act as a member of the panel of experts, which will select Belgium's entry for Athens. Johnny may be the only outsider among the experts which will award one sixth of the votes in the Belgian selection.

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17th December 2005

While today may only be the final day for submission of songs for the Irish Eurovision selection, there are already some interesting rumours doing the rounds on who may have entered songs. This week there is speculation that Brian Kennedy may have submitted some new songs to the selection. We are unlikely to know the list of chosen songs for the Irish final until early in the new year. Brian has certainly been in the media spotlight since his selection as Ireland's Eurovision singer for 2006. Last night he appeared on the last ever programme on UTV's popular long running entertainment show "Kelly". Kelly first came on air in September 1989 and has become Ireland's favourite chat show. Broadcast live every Friday night from UTV's Studio One in Belfast it was hosted by award-winning presenter Gerry Kelly. Another guest on the final show was fellow Northern Irish singer Peter Corrie. Brian and Peter had both performed at George's Best funeral. Such was the overwhelming reaction to their performances that a new CD of the songs from the funeral is released next week. "George Best A Tribute" features Brian singing "You Raise Me Up" and Peter singing The Beatles "The Long And Winding Road". There is also a medley of "Bring Him Home" sung by Peter and "Vincent" sung by Brian. The CD goes into the shops in Ireland on 23rd December and is released in the U.K. on December 26th. Proceeds are going to the George Best foundation charity. 

It may be hard to believe, but we're about to hear the first Eurovision entry of 2006. Just as in the last two years, Albania's song will be the first to be unveiled, when the 44th "Kongress I Kenges RTSH" chooses their entry on Sunday 18th December, a full five months before the Athens semi-final. Perhaps even harder to believe is the fact that Ireland has an interest in the selection. One of the songs in tonight's semi-final was co-written by two Irish songwriters. Niall Mooney and Brendan McCarthy are probably best known  their song "Summer Rain" which finished third in the Irish selection in 2004, when sung by Jean Elliot. Niall collected musical experience in the USA in the 90s, but since he came back to Ireland, he focused on the Eurovision Song Contest, together with his colleague and best friend Brendan. This year, they joined forces with Jonas Gladnikoff from Sweden, who is currently a student at the Swedish Music Production and Songwriting Academy. Their song was originally recorded by Jean Elliot and was intended for submission to the Irish Eurovision selection, however once RTÉ announced that Brian Kennedy was going to perform the Irish entry, it was submitted to Albania with new lyrics in Albanian. Tonight the rising Albanian star Ingrid Jushi will perform "Po Dhe Jjo", which means "Yes And No" in English, and it combines Albanian rhythms with modern sounds and erotic lyrics. The whole team agrees: "We are all great fans of the Eurovision Song Contest, and we are convinced that our song can score very high there. Best of luck to everyone involved in the song, which you can hear here. UPDATE December 18th : I'm afraid the song did not qualify for the Albanian final.   

Irish Eurovision fans might find the image on the left looks vaguely familiar despite the Cyrillic writing. This is the logo that Ukrainian television is using for their version of "You're A Star" which will choose that country's entrants to the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. The Ukrainian version of "You're A Star" started its nationwide talent search last week, and the format and name are the same as RTÉ and independent Irish television producers Screentime/ShinAawil used to select Ireland's entrants from 2003 to 2005. One of the most prolific Irish television production companies, Screentime/ShinAwil, which is based in the Digital Hub in Dublin, has had a number of international successes. The firm's latest show, a football talent search programme called "Soccastars", has been sold to broadcasters in Turkey and Portugal.Managing director Larry Bass set up the company as ShinAwil in 1999. In 2003, the company merged with Screentime in a deal believed to be worth well in excess of €500,000, and the company was renamed Screentime ShinAwil. Bass owns just over half of the company. The company made more than a quarter of a million euros in profit in 2004, much of this due to the success of the "You're A Star" format. This isn't the first time that an independent Irish production company has developed and sold a idea to foreign television stations. "The Lyrics Board" long a favourite on RTÉ and hosted in recent years by former Eurovision winner Linda Martin has been sold by "Like It, Love It" to several broadcasters, and can be seen in many European countries.

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8th December 2005

Forget about Phil Coulter or Johnny Logan, ask most people in the U.K. which Irishman they most associate with the Eurovision Song Contest, and the answer you're likely to hear is "Terry Wogan" (pictured left). Yesterday, the popular Irish broadcaster and Eurovision commentator received another big honour when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in a ceremony in Buckingham Palace.  

Terry Wogan was born in Limerick in 1938 to a grocer father and a mother, and originally intended to pursue a career in banking before his "great move to Dublin" occurred in 1956. He soon began his career on Radio Éireann and by the 1960s was a household name in Ireland. He moved into light entertainment as a disc jockey and host of Irish TV quiz and variety shows before moving to London and joining BBC radio. Ironically one of his first assignments for the BBC was to provide the radio commentary on the 1971 Eurovision Song Contest, which brought him straight back to Dublin. 

Wogan's sometimes controversial, but always entertaining association with the Eurovision Song Contest has now gone on for over thirty years and in 1998 he stepped out from behind the microphone to co-host the show in Birmingham with Ulrika Jonsson. His irreverent style may have upset some Eurovision fans (and some broadcasters) through the years, but there is no question but that Terry remains a big supporter of the show and has helped continue its popularity and high ratings in the United Kingdom.  

Away from Eurovision, Terry has one of the most successful radio shows in the U.K. and is still one of the BBC's most loved and respected broadcasters. Between 1982 and 1992 he also had a television chat show, which ran three nights a week on BBC One, where he interviewed some of the most famous people in the World. There are currently plans for Terry to revive this show, and it is due to return in 2006. 

His BBC Radio 2 show, Wake Up With Wogan, attracts more than eight million listeners a day. Mayor of Limerick Diarmuid Scully said the honour was well deserved. He said: “We are very proud of him and he has always been a great supporter of Limerick and keeps in touch with his old friends in the city.”

Sir Terry was originally due to receive an honorary knighthood, similar to that bestowed on fellow Irishman Bob Geldof, but Terry's dual citizenship meant it was changed to an ordinary one. The broadcaster was born in Ireland before the country became a republic in 1949, entitling him to UK citizenship. After receiving his accolade, Sir Terry said he was "surprised" and "delighted". You can see the news report on the ceremony here.

Irish Eurovision fans were obviously disappointed with with the result of the 2005 contest, and many might be curious if Ireland would have done better had we chosen another song from the "You're A Star final. The answer is most likely "no". 

Over the past few months the international Eurovision fan club OGAE have been running their annual "second chance" contest where the best songs which missed out in the the national finals are pitted against one another and fans select their favourite.

OGAE Ireland selected "Dreaming Of You" by The Henry Girls, which finished 3rd in "You're A Star" as the Irish entry, but in the international final it finished in last place and failed to score a single point from any of the other 23 countries which voted, using the Eurovision scoring system.   

The song which won the second chance contest was "Alcastar" by the Swedish group Alcazar (pictured above), which finished 3rd in the Melodifestival, beaten by "Las Vegas". This song was also the favourite of Irish OGAE. It's the second time that the popular foursome from Sweden have won the second chance contest. In 2003 their song "Not A Sinner, Nor A Saint" was the winner. In the 2005 competition, Serbia and Montenegro came second and Slovenia was third. You can find more information on the second chance competition here.

The members of Alcazar are now taking a break to pursue solo projects. Magnus Lundstedt will be performing as part of six4one for Switzerland in Athens and Magnus Carlsson (who also won the second chance contest as a member of Barbados) is strongly rumoured to be competing in the 2006 Swedish Eurovision selection. 

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30th November 2005

Saturday next (December 3rd) will see one of the saddest days in Irish sporting history when football legend George Best (pictured left) is buried in his native Belfast. The ceremony, which is likely to be one of the biggest in Irish history, will also have a Eurovision connection as another Belfast man, Brian Kennedy, our Eurovision performer in Athens will be paying a musical tribute to Best. The ceremony will take place in the grounds of the famous Stormont buildings, which has already seen many historical events in its history and already all hotel rooms in Belfast have been booked out. It is likely that many famous sporting personalities will be in Belfast on Saturday.

Best, who is widely regarded as the greatest European footballer of all time died in a London hospital on November 25th, after a long illness. The popular sportsman was famed for his antics of the pitch as much as for his sporting skills and summed up his own life when he said "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars, the rest I just squandered". 

Brian Kennedy is currently on an Irish tour (details here) and was recently a guest on the popular RTÉ chat show "Tubridy Tonight", and you can watch the interview here (real video on RTÉs website). Brian's diary for 2006 is already filling up, and he will appear at Glasgow's Celtic Connections, an international festival of traditional music on Tuesday 17th January. The biggest winter festival of its kind in the world, Celtic Connections features artists from around the globe in 12 venues across Glasgow. News of the songs which will compete for the right to go to Athens and the date for the selection of the entry is also expected in January.

Brian isn't the only Irish Eurovision star gracing the television screens in recent days, Linda Martin is back on the judging panel of the fourth season of "You're A Star" (more information here) which has no other Eurovision link this year, while Maxi and Marian Fossett, two thirds of Sheeba who performed "Horoscopes" in Dublin reunited for a holiday show "Time On Their Hands" which brought them to Paris and London, where they joined up with Dublin born Mike Nolan of Bucks Fizz, to relive the events of 1981. You can read about the adventures of the two flamboyant ladies here.

As I mentioned below, the DVD of "Eurovision For Asia" the concert held in Dublin's Olympia theatre in January to raise money for the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster has now been released. All proceeds from sales of the DVD will go directly to helping victims of the Asian tsunami and the recent earthquake in the Kashmiri areas of India and Pakistan. The DVD can be purchased online at http://www.dublingaytheatrefestival.com  as a taster of the DVD, you can watch Linda Martin performing the 1999 Eurovision winner "Take Me To Your Heaven" here.

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20th November 2005

There can be no doubt that the announcement of Brian Kennedy as Ireland's Eurovision performer has gained plenty of media attention in the last week. Brian appeared on RTÉ's popular chat show "Tubridy Tonight" on Saturday and emphasised the effort which RTÉ was making to find the best song possible for the 2006 contest in Athens. He certainly seemed excited by the prospect of participating in the competition and treated the audience to an ad-hoc performance of Abba's "Waterloo". Sunday's newspapers also covered the story, with The Sunday Times having an interesting biography of Ireland's 2006 Eurovision performer, which you can read online here. 

Meanwhile there have been several rumours circulating about potential songwriters who may be submitting potential entries. Raymond Smyth, one of the writers of Ireland's last Top 10 Eurovision song "Millennium Of Love" is believed to have submitted songs and another name being mentioned is Liam Lawton, writer of the excellent "Seol" which finished a very close second, in the 1998 Irish Eurovision selection. While both of these would appear to be likely entrants, rumours are also circulating about former Eurovision winners Johnny Logan and Phil Coulter.

While they await an announcement of the final four songs, Irish Eurovision fans may wish to re-live one of the year's highlights. January's "Eurovision For Asia" charity concert featuring many Irish Eurovision stars, raised over one hundred thousand Euros for the Tsunami appeal. While an edited version of the show was shown on RTÉ in the build-up to the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest, you can now get the full version of the show on DVD.

If you are in Dublin you can attend the launch of the DVD in The Dragon pub on South Great Georges Street on Thursday Novemebr 24th at 7:30pm. A special rate of 15euros per DVD applies for that night. After the launch on November 24th, you can order a copy of the DVD directly from the website www.dublingaytheatrefestival.com using a secure online credit-card payment system. Please remember this is a voluntary organisational effort and they will try their best to cope with the demand and ensure quick delivery.

In all there are only 1,000 copies available of this exclusive presentation so please place your orders as soon as you can after November 24th. Proceeds from the sale of the DVD will be used both to continue the support for the countries affected by the tsunami and to aid the urgent relief effort in Kashmir following the recent earthquake there.

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14th November 2005

After weeks of rumour and guesswork, today RTÉ confirmed the name of Ireland's Eurovision performer for 2006. Belfast born Brian Kennedy will represent the country in Athens with a song to be chosen by the public. 

In an unusual move, RTÉ became the first broadcaster to unveil its 2006 Eurovision singer. Kevin Linehan RTÉ's Commissioning Editor for Entertainment Programmes said: "the Eurovision has evolved into an increasingly complex, competitive, professional contest in recent years. RTÉ are  delighted that a singer of Brian Kennedy’s international reputation, talent, and renown will be representing Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in May. I believe he will do us proud in Athens and enable us to give it our very best shot. He is prolific in a wide range of musical genres and contexts; from traditional Irish songs in intimate venues to international showstoppers on the "Riverdance" stage. The challenge now is to find the show-stopping song Brian will perform on the night."

Interviewed on RTÉ, Kennedy says that he will give 150% of himself into performing the chosen song in Athens, and emphasised the effort that will be made to find the best song in the country. The song selection process also started today, with songwriters being asked to submit up to two songs before the deadline on 17th December. A performance of the song must be submitted on CD and include four copies of the lyrics. Songs should be submitted to : Fidelma Kelly, Entertainment Department, RTÉ Television, Donnybrook, Dublin 4. 

The submitted songs will be judged by a panel of experts which will include Brendan Graham (Eurovision winner in 1994 and 1996), Shay Healy (Eurovision winner in 1980) and popular Irish singer-songwriter Paul Brady who has worked with Brian Kennedy in the past. The panel will select the top four songs and these will be performed by Brian Kennedy in a special Eurovision selection show in early spring. The winning song will be chosen by the public. The exact date and venue of the show have yet to be announced, and will most likely follow when the final songs have been selected. 

RTÉ's decision to abandon the "You're A Star" format to select Ireland's Eurovision entrant was signaled soon after the disappointing result in Kyiv and rumours that a especially chosen performer would go to Athens have been doing the rounds for weeks, however Brian Kennedy's name was not among those being touted. This is not the first time that RTÉ have chosen this particular method to select its Eurovision entry. In 1974, Tina (Reynolds) performed all eight songs in the Irish national final and in a postal vote the public chose "Cross Your Heart" as the Irish song for Brighton. In 1975, Tommy & Jimmy Swarbrigg performed all eight songs, and "That's What Friends Are For" was selected by regional juries. It is also worth noting that the method which RTÉ will use to select Ireland's entry for Athens, is the exact same format as Greek broadcaster ERT used to select "My Number One", the 2005 Eurovision winner.   

Brian Kennedy has two previous Eurovision links. In 1995 he performed the lead male vocal in "Lumen" the interval act in the Eurovision Song Contest and in 2003, "I Couldn't Love You More" the song he co-composed with Ronan Keating, finished third to "We've Got The World" in the Irish Eurovision selection. I will have a full biography of Brian Kennedy's career and a selection of some of his songs tomorrow. 

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12th November 2005

Linda Martin (pictured left in full costume) who is no stranger to panto-style boos, hisses and cheers in her role as a 'You're a Star' judge, is to appear in the pantomime "Cinderella' at Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin. In her first pantomime role, she will play the part of the evil stepmother. Linda will appear alongside Sinead Mulvey, the 18-year-old former 'You're a Star' finalist who will play the lead part. The show is being directed by Karl Broderick who composed "Love?", the Irish Eurovision entry in Kyiv.

Tickets for the panto which will run from December 14th to January 22nd are priced at €24.50 and you can contact Liberty Hall Theatre's box office on 01-8721122 or book online at www.centralticketbureau.com. 

Linda has also been lined up again for a revamped 'You're a Star' competition, which she will judge alongside Thomas Black of Much Music and columnist Brendan O'Connor. It is her third time judging the contest. This time out the show will not be used to select the Irish Eurovision entrants for Athens, following disappointing results in 2004 and 2005. The national open rehearsals for the competition are already complete and the show begins transmission shortly. 

Linda Martin was last seen on stage by Eurovision fans at the "Congratulations" show in Copenhagen. While there, Linda took the opportunity to to get a later jacket signed by the performing Eurovision stars. She is currently offering the jacket for auction for one of her favourite animal welfare charities, and if anyone is interested in bidding please let me know. 

Another Irish Eurovision winner in Copenhagen was songwriter Brendan Graham. Brendan wrote "Rock'N'Roll" Kids" and "The Voice", Ireland's winners in 1994 and 1996. He had previously competed in 1976 with "When" and 1985 with "Wait Until The Weekend Comes". In recent years Brendan has turned his talent to writing books and he has recently had his third novel published. "The Brightest Day, the Darkest Night" and is set against the backdrop of the American Civil War. The book has received excellent reviews and is in bookshops in both Ireland and the U.K. Brendan's two previous successful novels; "The Whitest Flower" published in 1999 and the sequel "The Element Of Fire" published two years later were both set during and after the Irish Potato famine.  

However as successful as his writing career has become, it is still as a songwriter than Brendan is best known. He recently scored his first U.K. number one hit single with Westlife's version of "You Raise Me Up" which he co-wrote with fellow Eurovision winner Rolf Lövland. The track which has become one of the best selling singles of the year in both Ireland and the U.K. is the 100th recording of the song, which has reportedly now earned its songwriters more that one million euros. 

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3rd October 2005

The new Westlife single to be released in Ireland on October 21st and in the U.K. three days later is a cover of a song originally recorded by 1995 Eurovision Song Contest winners Secret Garden. The song "You Raise Me Up" was originally featured on the their album "Once In A Red Moon" released in 2002, and featured the vocals of Brian Kennedy who performed as part of the "Lumen" interval act in the 1995 contest, won by Secret Garden.

The song was written by two former Eurovision winners, Rolf Lövland who composed the Norwegian winners "La Det Swing (1985) and "Nocturne (1995) and Irishman Brendan Graham who won in 1993 with his song "Rock'N'Roll Kids" and in 1996 with "The Voice". "You Raise Me Up" received considerable airplay, but never became the huge hit that many expected. It has also been recorded by Irish favourite Daniel O'Donnell, Welsh tenor Russell Watson and most notably by American Josh Gobran. The Westlife version is sure to make the song a massive international hit and will be an introduction to the foursome new album "Face To Face" which is released at the end of the month.

Meanwhile former Westlife manager Ronan Keating is the latest Irish name to be added to the list of performers at the "Congratulations" show in Copenhagen on October 22nd. In 1997, the popular Dubliner presented the last contest hosted by Ireland and performed the interval act with the group Boyzone, which split up a couple of years later. Since the split, Keating has enjoyed a successful solo career, having several hit singles and albums. It is believe that Keating may perform some of his own material in Copenhagen, although a role in the all star Eurovision medleys could also be on the cards.

Several former Irish Eurovision performers will be participating in the show, which celebrates the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, among them Linda Martin (winner in 1992), Eimear Quinn (winner in 1996) and Charlie McGettigan (winner in 1993). However Ireland's big interest in the show will be courtesy of Johnny Logan, as both his winning songs "What's Another Year" (1980) and "Hold Me Now" (1987) are in contention to be voted as the best Eurovision song of all time.

There is no news on the participation of 1970 winner Dana or Niamh Kavanagh who won 1992 but 1993 winner Paul Harrigton will not be in Copenhagen as he is currently starring in the new Michael Flatley musical "Celtic Tiger" which recently opened in Madison Square Gardens in New York.