Ireland: Donna McCaul is open about her participation in the contest for Ireland!

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Almost twenty years after her participation in Eurovision in Kiev, Donna MacCaul says she is ready to try her luck with the contest again, this time without her brother Joe. The McCaul brothers entered the contest in 2005 with the song Love; but unfortunately failed to make it to the grand final. At the time the duo were singled out for their win on RTE’s You’re a star and also as Ireland’s youngest act!

 

The singer told RSVP Live about her participation in the competition:

In 2005, Joe and I were too young to enter the entertainment industry. It all started with You’re a Star. This was all very new to us and we had never done anything like this before.

It seems Donna has been following the competition over the years and singled out Bambie Thug ‘s entry last May in Malmö, Sweden. She specifically stated:

I absolutely loved what Bambie Thug did last year. I think they did a great job. Even out in America, I was showing people the performance and they loved it. Eurovision has changed a lot. It’s become more about impressing and “what is the person on stage doing?”. It’s more about the performance, it’s not just about the singing.

 

Finally, the singer seems to be ready for a possible participation with Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in the future.

I want to do it with the experience I’ve gained over the years, doing music, different shows and learning myself vocally and musically.

 

Source: headtopics

What do you think, would you like Donna MacCaul to return for Ireland at Eurovision? Tell us in the comments!

For everything related to the contest, stay tuned to Eurovision Fun!

Three countries, one mission: Bashar Murad eyes Eurovision once more

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Palestinian artist Bashar Murad, renowned for blending Arabic pop with international musical influences and for his activism, has sparked fresh excitement with a TikTok post hinting at potential submissions to the national selections of three Eurovision countries: San Marino, Ireland, and Iceland. This comes after his near-success in representing Iceland at Eurovision 2024 with his politically charged song “Wild West.” Ultimately, he narrowly missed securing his ticket to Malmö, losing to Hera Björk.

Murad’s participation in Söngvakeppnin, Iceland’s national selection, ignited significant debate. While his music was celebrated for its artistry, it also drew political attention due to his Palestinian roots and the global context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

San Marino, a country known for its openness to international artists, and Ireland, celebrated for its embrace of cultural diversity, stand out as logical choices for Murad’s ambitions. Meanwhile, Iceland, having already showcased Murad’s unique voice and perspective, remains a plausible contender for his renewed attempt to secure a spot on the Eurovision stage.

Whether his efforts will culminate in a Eurovision appearance is yet to be seen. However, his journey continues to inspire discussion, drawing both support and criticism from various audiences.

Stay tuned for updates as the story unfolds!

Ireland: Close to a unique track selection show, Ireland’s TV is on the verge of a unique show!

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Irish television seems to be closer than ever to broadcasting a TV show to select the song that will represent the country in the Eurovision Song Contest!

In an interview with EuroTrip, Michael Kealy, said he is enthusiastic and more optimistic than ever about Eurosong, an Irish national final, a TV show to select the country’s Eurovision song. It’s something he has long wanted to happen but due to various circumstances it hasn’t taken shape so far.

It should be remembered at this point that Ireland’s selection of the representation piece is done during the Late Late Show and there is no separate show for this process, which seems to be the case for 2025. Specifically, Kealy said:

“I’m afraid that Eurosong 2025 will still be embedded in The Late Late Show”

The reasons why RTÉ was unable to produce such a show were mainly financial. However, as can be seen from his statements above, the economic plans are gradually changing with Kealy’s optimistic message that the state has made provision for such a programme presentation. Realistically speaking, Kealy stated that Eurosong will be broadcast from 2026 onwards.

“Obviously this will not happen in 2025. I would be optimistic that 2026 is the year that we do that, but I think that’s on the cards and I hope it happens sooner rather than later.”

But RTÉ was caught up in scandal when secret financial deals with former The Late Late Show host Ryan Tubridy were revealed. It emerged that Tubridy had been paid €345,000 more than the announced amount for the period 2017-2022, while expenses of more than €100,000 for international travel and the existence of parallel accounts were revealed. The then director general, Dee Forbes, after being suspended, resigned. Kealy said the scandal had hampered plans for an independent Irish selection show in 2024.

Among other things, the presenter said that after 2025 might be the right time to hand over the reins to the new mission. He considers it a privilege to work for Eurovision, but feels guilty about taking it on alone. Clare Hughes, a big Eurovision fan, is an important addition to the Ireland team and a valuable asset ahead of the event in Switzerland in 2024.

“Clare is a big Eurovision fan, which definitely helps, but I think she’ll be a great addition to the Ireland team and definitely a great addition for me ahead of Basel in Switzerland next year.”

We look forward to seeing how things develop in relation to Irish TV’s choices for the upcoming Eurosong in the future!

For all news regarding the contest follow Eurovision Fun!

Source: EuroTrip

Junior Eurovision 2024: The music video of “La Chéile” released!

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Just two days ago, Enya Cox Dempsey emerged winner of Junior Eurovision Éire 2024 and will therefore represent Ireland in Junior Eurovision 2024. A few hours ago the music video of the Irish entry “La Chéile” was released and uploaded on the broadcaster’s official YouTube channel.

You can watch the music video of “La Chéile“, below:

How was Enya Cox Dempsey selected?

Three artists competed for the Irish representation in Junior Eurovision Éire 2024 final.

The final consisted of two competitive rounds:

  • During the first round, the three finalists performed two covers, including one from the Eurovision Song Contest. The judging panel, including Niamh Ní Chróinín, Tadhg Ó Gríofa, and Linda Martin, selected Lottie O’Driscoll Murray and Enya Cox Dempsey to advance to the second round.
  • In the second round, the two remaining finalists performed “Le chéile,” the song chosen by RTÉ as the country’s entry to Junior Eurovision 2024.

Following the committee’s decision, Enya Cox Dempsey was named the winner of Junior Eurovision Éire 2024 and will thus represent the country at the 22nd Junior Eurovision Song Contest with “Le chéile.”

Who is Enya Cox Dempsey?

Enya comes from the town of Castlecomer in County Kilkenny, where she lives with Mum Róisín and the family dog Pip. The young star has performed in lots of shows and pantomimes all her life, and it’s her dream to win Junior Eurovision for Ireland.

A girl of many talents, she’s recently taken up playing the drums – much to Róisín’s delight, as the drums are set up in her bedroom. Enya loves rock ‘n’ roll and her favourite artists are Lana Del Rey, the Deftones and Metallica, and she loves singing along to Queen.

Junior Eurovision 2024

Seventeen countries will take part in the 22nd edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest:

  1. Italy – RAI
  2. Estonia – ERR
  3. Albania – RTSH
  4. Armenia – AMPTV
  5. Cyprus – RIK
  6. France – FT
  7. North Macedonia – MRT
  8. Poland – TVP
  9. Georgia – GPB
  10. Spain – RTVE
  11. Germany – ARD/NDR
  12. Netherlands – AVROTROS
  13. San Marino – RTV San Marino
  14. Ukraine – UA:PBC
  15. Portugal – RTP
  16. Ireland – TG4
  17. Malta – PBS

The 22nd edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest will be held on November 16 in Madrid, Spain, following the country’s second-place finish last year and the refusal of the winning country, France, to host for the second year in a row. The slogan for this year’s contest is “Let’s Bloom!”, while Ruth Lorenzo, Marc Clotet and Melani Garcia will serve as this year’s hosts.

Ireland with Enya Cox Dempsey will perform sixteenth.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news! 

Junior Eurovision 2024: Enya Cox Dempsey will represent Ireland in Madrid!

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Today it was Ireland’s turn to select their entry for Junior Eurovision 2024. Just a while ago, Junior Eurovision Éire, the Irish national selection for Junior Eurovision 2024, was concluded. Junior Eurovision Éire served for another year as the country’s representative selection method for the children’s contest and was broadcasted from Dublin, Ireland.

Hosted by Louise Cantillon and following the votes of a jury exclusively, Enya Cox Dempsey was crowned as the winner.

After three heats featuring cover songs performed by the young competing artists, the jury selected three to move on straight to the final. Therefore, the following three artists competed for the Irish representation in Junior Eurovision Éire 2024 final:

  • Lottie O’Driscoll Murray
  • Enya Cox Dempsey
  • Isla McManus

The final consisted of two competitive rounds:

  • During the first round, the three finalists performed two covers, including one from the Eurovision Song Contest. The judging panel, including Niamh Ní Chróinín, Tadhg Ó Gríofa, and Linda Martin, selected Lottie O’Driscoll Murray and Enya Cox Dempsey to advance to the second round.
  • In the second round, the two remaining finalists performed “Le chéile,” the song chosen by RTÉ as the country’s entry to Junior Eurovision 2024.

Following the committee’s decision, Enya Cox Dempsey was named the winner of Junior Eurovision Éire 2024 and will thus represent the country at the 22nd Junior Eurovision Song Contest with “Le chéile.”

Junior Eurovision 2024

Seventeen countries will take part in the 22nd edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest:

  1. Italy – RAI
  2. Estonia – ERR
  3. Albania – RTSH
  4. Armenia – AMPTV
  5. Cyprus – RIK
  6. France – FT
  7. North Macedonia – MRT
  8. Poland – TVP
  9. Georgia – GPB
  10. Spain – RTVE
  11. Germany – ARD/NDR
  12. Netherlands – AVROTROS
  13. San Marino – RTV San Marino
  14. Ukraine – UA:PBC
  15. Portugal – RTP
  16. Ireland – RTÉ
  17. Malta – PBS

The 22nd edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest will be held on November 16 in Madrid, Spain, following the country’s second-place finish last year and the refusal of the winning country, France, to host for the second year in a row. The slogan for this year’s contest is “Let’s Bloom!”, while Ruth Lorenzo, Marc Clotet and Melani Garcia will serve as this year’s hosts.

Ireland with Enya Cox Dempsey will perform sixteenth.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news! 

Eden Golan’s Best Wishes to Marina Satti and Bambie Thug

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Shortly after her appearance at the United Nations headquarters and Central Park in New York, marking one year since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, Eden Golan gave an interesting interview to Hollywood Reporter. The Israeli singer spoke about her Eurovision experience, the overwhelming support she received during the televote, and shared her feelings about Marina Satti and Bambie Thug, who both showed hostility toward her in their own way during the competition.

As you will see in her response regarding Marina Satti and Bambie Thug, Eden Golan holds no grudges and wishes them the best. She expressed her desire to completely leave behind everything she experienced in Malmö.

“Good luck. I hope all their dreams come true. I pray. I pray for them. I pray for them to have a good life and be happy.”

Following the release of her new song and her performance of October Rain at the UN and Central Park, Eden remains in the U.S., where she is planning her next professional steps.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the updates!

Source: Hollywoodreporter

RTÉ has launched the search for Ireland’s entry to the 69th Eurovision Song Contest

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Following the impressive performance of Bambie Thug in Malmö in 2024, the next entry has big shoes to fill. The submission process for the Eurovision 2025 is now open, giving artists an 8-week window, from Monday 23 September to 18:00 CET on Monday 18 November.

Ireland’s 2024 entry, “Doomsday Blue”, not only secured 6th place – the country’s best result since 2000 – but also received international praise. The song has over 24 million streams on Spotify, and its Grand Final performance has been viewed more than 9.4 million times on YouTube.

Michael Kealy, Ireland’s Head of Delegation, highlighted that Eurovision is a unique opportunity for artists to make a name on the global stage, encouraging musicians from across the country to submit their entries.

For more details you can check RTE’s official website for Eurovision Song Contest.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the updates!

The unacceptable move by Bambie Thug to call Hezbollah “Resistance”

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Less than a day after an operation attributed to Israel in Lebanon, Bambie Thug, Ireland’s representative at Eurovision 2024, posted a hate-filled message on Instagram, portraying the terrorist organization Hezbollah as a resistance group. In them post, Israel is depicted as the evil occupier, while the Hezbollah terrorists are seen as victims of resistance.

The post claims that Israel conducted a cyberattack that resulted in injuries to Hezbollah members, without mentioning that Israel has not claimed responsibility for the operation. These assertions ignore the fact that Hezbollah has also targeted civilians in various countries, including the U.S. and Europe, resulting in numerous casualties.

Notably, them post does not mention that Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is responsible for the deaths of innocent people and that its attacks have forced thousands to evacuate their homes.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the updates!

Source: euromix

The First Deadline for Eurovision 2025 Participation Approaches: Which Countries are Still Undecided?

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The first deadline set by the EBU for its member broadcasters to submit their preliminary participation in Eurovision 2025 expires on September 15. Following this, and for the next month until October 11, those who have declared participation can withdraw without a penalty. After this date, any withdrawal will incur a penalty. So far, 28 countries have confirmed their participation in one way or another, while some others have not yet clarified their intentions. Let’s take a detailed look at the countries that participated in Eurovision 2024 and have not yet announced whether they will attend Basel or not.

Ireland, Poland, Estonia, Armenia, Croatia: Likely to Participate

Ireland, Poland, Estonia, Armenia, and Croatia are expected to participate in Eurovision 2025, barring any unexpected events. Although the national broadcasters of these countries have remained silent, the presence of their Heads of Delegation a few days ago in Dubrovnik, Croatia, where the Eurovision Workshop took place under the auspices of the EBU, suggests that they will all compete in Basel next May.

Croatia, which achieved its best-ever result in the contest this year, hosted the Eurovision Workshop, making it highly unlikely for the country to withdraw from the next contest. The same is true, more or less, for Ireland, which achieved its best result in 20 years. Despite the issues caused by Bambie Thug in this year’s competition, the Irish delegation did not publicly express any objections.

Armenia usually announces its plans for Eurovision after the Junior Eurovision ends, so their current stance is not surprising.

The public broadcasters of Poland and Estonia are currently undergoing budget cuts, which is why they have not yet announced anything regarding their participation. However, a withdrawal seems unlikely, especially after the participation of their Heads of Delegation in the Eurovision Workshop in Dubrovnik.

What About the Remaining Countries?

Five other countries that participated in Eurovision 2024 have not revealed their intentions for the next contest. Here are the countries:

  • Netherlands
  • Slovenia
  • Iceland
  • Moldova
  • Australia

The Netherlands announced that, following the dramatic events this year with Joost Klein’s elimination from the final, it would wait to discuss matters with the EBU regarding backstage issues. This discussion has begun, and the Dutch broadcaster has received an extension until November 1 to confirm or decline their participation. The atmosphere seems positive between the two parties, and we hope that these discussions will have a happy ending, with the Netherlands participating in Basel.

Slovenia has announced that its public broadcaster will decide in October whether to participate in Eurovision 2025. This aligns with the EBU’s deadline for public broadcasters to withdraw from the contest without penalty, which is October 11. Slovenia’s broadcaster sent several queries to the EBU immediately after the end of this year’s contest, which included questions about the televote.

Iceland was expected to announce its decision regarding Eurovision 2025 in the past few days but postponed it until next week, after the preliminary participation deadline of September 15 has passed.

Moldova is another country that typically delays announcing its plans. However, barring any surprises, Moldova is expected to be present in Basel.

Australia, as always, is a special case. Its contract with the EBU has expired, and each year it requires a special invitation to SBS for the “land of kangaroos” to participate.

Is There a Chance for Another Return?

Luxembourg’s return this year and Montenegro’s announcement of their return for Eurovision 2025 have brought joy and hope to fans for the return of other countries that mainly abstain for economic reasons.

The only countries in this category that have not ruled out a potential return are Romania, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia. All three have participated in the contest until recently but withdrew due to financial constraints. None of these countries have publicly ruled out returning for Eurovision 2025, leaving room to hope for at least one more return in the next contest, apart from Montenegro.

How many countries do you think will participate in Eurovision 2025? Let us know in the comments below!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest updates!

Ireland: RTÉ unable to host Eurovision in the future?

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The ability of the Irish public broadcaster RTE to organize televised events of great significance will be greatly affected by the changes currently made. Therefore, in the event that Ireland wins the competition again, a potential Eurovision hosting will be in danger.

Significant changes in RTÉ

RTE’s CEO revealed new plans that include selling off a significant portion of the Irish public broadcaster’s real estate and mobile assets in addition to shifting some of its programming to outside producers. RTE will no longer be able to cover significant events on their own, like Queen Elizabeth’s passing or the Pope’s visit to Ireland, according to a source associated with the organization.

Many RTE staff members are concerned about the widespread privatization of public television, as there is no similar case nowhere in Europe. RTE leaving EBU is not a likely scenario, according to the EBU, but it does state that the network’s “ability or inability” to host important events like Eurovision might be experienced in the future.

Moreover, plans also call for hiring outside producers to run well-known programs like “The Late Late Show“. Considering that “The Late Late Show” serves as the national selection format for Eurovision, it is currently unclear how the representatives of Ireland will be chosen in the future.

RTE’s response

When questioned about the issue, a representative for RTÉ stated that significant events like the Eurovision Song Contest “would always be produced through a combination of RTÉ staff and suitably qualified people working in the freelance community“. The spokesperson stated that:

This model is a standard practice across the industry and applies to all public service broadcasters where there is an in-house staff base.

Given that Ireland has not won the Eurovision since 1996, or hosted it since 1997 – 27 years ago – any future hosting would represent a special event which would require a core RTÉ team plus additional freelance resources.

This year, Bambie Thug represented Ireland in Malmö with their song “Doomsday Blue“, finishing sixth and bringing Ireland back to the top ten after thirteen years.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

Source: evoke