Tag Archives: Ireland

Brendan Murray will sing for Ireland at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest

Brendan Murray {copyright: RTÉ}
Brendan Murray {copyright: RTÉ}

Brendan Murray has been confirmed to be the representative for Ireland at the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev. An announcement was made by his manager, Louis Walsh, on the Late Late Show on RTÉ tv in Ireland.

Brendan was a former member of the boyband, Hometown. A call for songs has been made and more information can be found at http://www.rte.ie/tv/eurovision/ Louis Walsh hinted he was looking for a ballad type song for Brendan in the style that Adele or Ed Sheeran might sing.

You can see Brendan do a short rendition of the Johnny Logan Eurovision winner, Hold Me Now (1987 ESC Ireland), below.

Source: www.eurovision.tv; ESC Covers

JEDWARD as expert jury members at Junior Eurovision 2016

I do like the idea of expert jury members.

I do know that Jedward is popular and would give Junior Eurovision a higher profile.
But is the choice of these two brothers a good idea as expert jury members? My answer is no for the following reasons
01 – First they are brothers and as such would have more or less the same taste and so it is like doubling the chances of those songs they like. Luckily I was informed that they will have just one vote as JEDWARD and not as two separate individuals.
02 – They are just too energetic and could make some of the smaller and shyer children feel out – they sort of dominate with their presence and may push many of the actual singers in the background. I remember their press conference in Baku where they jumped from table to table and chair to chair all over the press conference hall.
03 – They are from a participating country and could favour the entry from their home country – Ireland.
04 – I also believe they were involved in the Irish selection and so to me this sounds like a conflict of interest.
I would rather have them during the interval act and got someone else from a non participating country to be an expert jury member – Zoe from Austria or Laura from Belgium come to mind.

This is my personal opinion and anybody is free to agree or disagree with me.

Zena Donnelly will sing ‘Bríce Ar Bhríce’ for Ireland at the 2016 Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Zena Donnelly {copyright: TG4}
Zena Donnelly {copyright: TG4}

Zena Donnelly has won the TG4 national selection and will represent Ireland at the 2016 Junior Eurovision Song Contest with Bríce Ar Bhríce (Brick by Brick). The song will be performed in the Irish language.

14 years old, Zena, beat off a lot of competition to take the prize. 32 other acts competed in a series of semi-finals and the final.

You can see the music video for Bríce Ar Bhríce below.

Source: www.junioreurovision.tv

IRELAND AT EUROVISION – THE SOUTH AFRICAN COLLECTION

1992 – WHY ME – LINDA MARTIN = 1 CD
1993 – IN YOUR EYES – NIAMH KAVANAGH = 1 CD
1994 – ROCK ‘N ROLL KIDS – PAUL HARRINGTON & CHARLIE MCGETTIGAN = 1 CD
1995 – DREAMIN’ – EDDIE FRIEL = 1 CD
1996 – THE VOICE – EIMEAR QUINN = 1 CD
1997 – MYSTERIOUS WOMAN – MARC ROBERTS = 1 CD
1998 – IS ALWAYS OVER NOW – DAWN MARTIN = 1 CD
1999 – WHEN YOU NEED ME – THE MULLANS = 1 CD
2000 – MILLEUNNIUM OF LOVE – EAMONN TOAL = 1 CD
2001 – WITHOUT YOUR LOVE – GARY O’SHAUGHNESSY = 1 CD
2002 – no participation
2003 – WE’VE GOT THE WORLD – MICKEY HARTE = 1 CD
2004 – IF MY WORLD STOPPED TURNING – CHRIS DORAN = 1 CD
2005 – LOVE – DONNA & JOE = 1 CD
2006 – EVERY SONG IS A CRY FOR LOVE – BRIAN KENNEDY = 1 CD
2007 – THEY CAN’T STOP THE SPRING – DERVISH = 1 CD
2008 – IRELAND DOUZE POINTE – DUSTIN THE TURKEY = 1 CD
2009 – ET CETERA – SINEAD MULVEY & BLACK DAISY = 1 CD
2010 – IT’S FOR YOU – NIAMH KAVANAGH = 1 CD
2011 – LIPSTICK – JEDWARD = 1 CD
2012 – WATERLINE – JEDWARD = 1 CD
2013 – MISSING
2014 – MISSING
2015 – MISSING
2016 – SUNLIGHT – NICKY BYRNE – 1 CD

2016 RESULTS – SEMI FINAL TWO

18 – Switzerland = 28 points
17 – Denmark = 34 points
16 – Albania = 45 points
15 – Ireland = 46 points
14 – Slovenia = 57 points
13 – Norway = 63 points
12 – Belarus = 84 points
11 – FYR Macedonia = 88 points
10 – Serbia = 105 points
09 – Georgia = 123 points
08 – Latvia = 132 points
07 – Israel = 147 points
06 – Poland = 151 points
05 – Bulgaria = 220 points
04 – Lithuania = 222 points
03 – Belgium = 274 points
02 – Ukraine = 287 points
01 – Australia = 330 points

Ireland: Nicky Byrne press conference

Nicky Byrne {copyright: ESC Covers}
Nicky Byrne {copyright: ESC Covers}

Nicky Byrne will represent Ireland with Sunlight. He gave his second press conference of the week. He was satisfied with his performance. He admitted he had a problem with a certain note in previous rehearsals. But finally Nicky was happy.

Nicky has just released a brand new album and also confirmed the Westlife boys, Shane and Mark have been supportive in recent days.

Nicky Byrne will bring some ‘Sunlight’ to Eurovision for Ireland

Nicky Byrne {copyright: RTÉ}
Nicky Byrne {copyright: RTÉ}

Ireland have selected former Westlife singer, Nicky Byrne, to represent them at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm. The local broadcaster, RTÉ, decided to pick their act internally this year.

Nicky will sing Sunlight composed by Wayne Hector, Ronan Hardiman and Nicky himself. The song has an upbeat pop/rock feel. An official lyric video has been released to accompany the song.

Nicky was part of the hugely successful Westlife group that had 14 number one singles in the United Kingdom and sold around 50 million records worldwide. Ireland have gone big this year so let us see if this leads to success for them in Sweden.

You can see the official lyric video of Sunlight below.

Source: www.eurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Pbnb7Y6AU

Aimee Banks to represent Ireland at the 2015 Junior Eurovision Song Contest

Aimee Banks {copyright :TG4}
Aimee Banks {copyright: TG4}

Aimee Banks has won the race to represent Ireland at the 2015 Junior Eurovision Song Contest with her song Réalta na mara (Star Of The Sea). Thirteen years old Aimee won the Irish national selection yesterday and will be on the stage in Sofia, Bulgaria on 21 November. The selection was broadcast by TG4 channel and the song is in the Irish language.

The song is composed by Brendan McCarthy, Niall Mooney and Jonas Gladnikoff with lyrics by Aimee herself.

You can see Aimee perform Réalta na mara below.

Source: www.junioreurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com