Turkey Didn't Win!

Sam Quentin

Does anyone look back at the moment Ireland put forward a Turkey to represent Ireland in the Eurovision, and think why ohhhh why did we let ourselves down in such a monumental fashion. I felt like that at the time and I still feel that way now. What were they thinking!? I do feel Europe holds it against us(we totally disrespected the competition)and we'll never be treated fairly in the Eurovision again.

RobertKK

I believe we had a top 10 finish since then.

Donna and joe were worse

Vestiapx

RobertKK wrote: »

I believe we had a top 10 finish since then.

Yeah so we sent them again the next year, did that ever happen before or so nice that a country sent the same act twice in a row? l know Jonny has the two wins and all but has any act gone twice in a row ?

Sam Quentin

RobertKK wrote: »

I believe we had a top 10 finish since then.

We will receive some sympathy along the way....but we'll never ever get what our entries deserve.....

Suckit

It was a bit of a kick in the nads to the competition. The arrogance of the crowd running Irelands entry to think that they couldn't put in an entry that wouldn't win it, unless it was pure scutter performed by a Turkey.

Tork

There was me thinking Erdoğan had tried to do something

Man Vs ManUre

A woman with a chicken won a few years ago. She must have been inspired by Dustin.

Sam Quentin

Suckit wrote: »

It was a bit of a kick in the nads to the competition. The arrogance of the crowd running Irelands entry to think that they couldn't put in an entry that wouldn't win it, unless it was pure scutter performed by a Turkey.

We had no reason to give the 'competition' a kick in the nads, Eurovision was very good and respectful towards Ireland for years on end.

Guy:Incognito

I genuinely hadn't thought about it in any way in the time since

Sam Quentin

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I genuinely hadn't thought about it in any way in the time since

I understand that totally. If you knew me you would never think I'd have such a hang-up about it either. But I'll never forget it,..it just stuck with me from the moment the turkey went on stage. So every year since I just know our scores no matter what will be terrible.

Tork

I think we read the sending of Dustin in a different way to foreign audiences. Sometimes these novelty acts are so weird, they come across as something that has been lost in translation. What's funny in Serbia might not work once you leave the Balkans. Truth is, Ireland has sent a lot of mediocre songs since so they're their own worst enemy.

1o059k7ewrqj3n

RTE couldn’t afford to host the competition if it was won, or so the top brass felt.

Ishmael

Vestiapx wrote: »

Yeah so we sent them again the next year, did that ever happen before or so nice that a country sent the same act twice in a row? l know Jonny has the two wins and all but has any act gone twice in a row ?

Epic sax guy was on it twice although not 2 years in a row.

Suckit

Sam Quentin wrote: »

We had no reason to give the 'competition' a kick in the nads, Eurovision was very good and respectful towards Ireland for years on end.

Yep. that's my point. The crowd in charge were just arrogant. If the excuse that was doing the rounds/rumoured at the time were true, there was a million better ways that they could have gone about it.

Sam Quentin

Tork wrote: »

I think we read the sending of Dustin in a different way to foreign audiences. Sometimes these novelty acts are so weird, they come across as something that has been lost in translation. What's funny in Serbia might not work once you leave the Balkans. Truth is, Ireland has sent a lot of mediocre songs since so they're their own worst enemy.

Well I don't have a degree in how other nationalities think or how they determine disrespectful acts. But I think this was obviously disrespectful.

Sam Quentin

Suckit wrote: »

Yep. that's my point. The crowd in charge were just arrogant. If the excuse that was doing the rounds/rumoured at the time were true, there was a million better ways that they could have gone about it.

Probably a young 'hip' crew, with little or no experience of real life..just bebo or something haha whatever it was at the time.

nthclare

Now we know what our democracy is like, turkey's voting for Christmas and the Irish voting for a turkey to wing the Eurovision.

I wonder at times, I really do.
I always felt different from the herd, a misfit, a round peg in a square hole...

I suppose I'm off the hooch nearly 20 year's I'm 44 now. And the decline in social intelligence and wisdom in Ireland is shocking, We've amazing talent here.
I've heard solo singer's in bar's, great Folk singer's, we're renound for our creativity, story telling and vocal talents.

Society in the last 20 year's is dumbed down, watched my kid go from preschool to primary and secondary school... he's finished the other day.

The education system is ****, my geography in primary school was more advanced than secondary school now.
History was similar...

Everyone is obsessed with themselves and narcissism is rife now, gee bag's doing coke every weekend and winging it as CEOs and office managers.

Back in the 80's and 90's we had cert course's for bar men and women, I hear now people learn how to pull a pint on their first evening.
Believe you me I drank from 14 to 25 and I still see people pulling absolute piss into a glass with smears and warm pint glasses.

Sorry I'll have a lucozade in a pint glass with ice, the lack of condensation on the outside of the glass alone is a sign it's a warm pint glass.

If I go into a bar you no longer get that lovely smell of beer, it's just a sterile place smelling like a chemist.
You no longer get the smell of piss which was all part of the experience when the gents Jax door opens. Instead you've Oisine running in every 5 minutes with a mop and bucket along with air freshener..

People in their 20's and 30's posing around and it's hard to figure out who's who because they're all dressed up the same

Oh how I miss the Oval in Cork city or the Donkeys Ears..

Hopefully after this people will learn values and have their feet more or less on the ground...

I'm back to work Wednesday, yeeehawww I've still got my public sector job...

Out with the chainsaws and climbing gear..

Can't wait

Stacksofwacks

I guess they thought it would be funny and a novelty and that Europe would latch onto it. As it turned out no one else really cared about our beloved Turkey, if only they had grown up with him they would have understood..

JP Liz V1

RobertKK wrote: »

I believe we had a top 10 finish since then.

Dustin was robbed of victory

ToddDameron

It was the result of a vote on the Late Late as I recall. The Irish public are to blame.

hynesie08

He's had more number 1 albums in ireland than any other entry......

Fr Tod Umptious

ToddDameron wrote: »

It was the result of a vote on the Late Late as I recall. The Irish public are to blame.

Yep, Dustin won by a landslide.
It's a bit like the idea of Michael O'Leary for Minister for Finance.

People think it's a great idea, then they do it and realize it's not.

kowloonkev

It's not possible for Ireland to win eurovision anymore, so may as well send a turkey.

Peregrinus

Sam Quentin wrote: »

Does anyone look back at the moment Ireland put forward a Turkey to represent Ireland in the Eurovision, and think why ohhhh why did we let ourselves down in such a monumental fashion. I felt like that at the time and I still feel that way now. What were they thinking!? I do feel Europe holds it against us(we totally disrespected the competition)and we'll never be treated fairly in the Eurovision again.

The Eurovision is decided by a public telephone poll each year.

You think people's voting decisions are swayed by their memory of one song that failed to progress from the semi-finals 12 years ago? I think you altogether overestimate the degree of interest the world takes in the history of Ireland's Eurovision entries. Most people outside Ireland have completely forgotten, if they ever knew, that this ever happened.

Can you name all the songs that performed worse that Dustin in Eurovision 2008? Can you name any of them? No, didn't think so. And yet they must have been truly awful, obviously, to be beaten by a hand-puppet lip-synching to a novelty song. How disrespectful is it to submit such dire entries to an international song competition? And they are all completely forgotten. So, outside Ireland, is Irelande douze points.

FanadMan

We were great when it was the Eurovision SONG Contest. Once it went to public vote and just Eurovision, it all went to ****e. Having a jury voting on a song first and the singer second (and the stage show at the end) was the way it was supposed to be. Now it's just populist crap on the same level as Big Brother, Made in Chelsea etc. The sooner it dies the better.

Vestiapx

Vestiapx wrote: »

Yeah so we sent them again the next year, did that ever happen before or so nice that a country sent the same act twice in a row? l know Jonny has the two wins and all but has any act gone twice in a row ?

Didn’t yer one from Germany go back the year after she won it?

patmac

One good thing about the corona virus is that this utter shiite is cancelled.

Hangdogroad

And it wasn't even a real turkey ffs!

Kylta

I find turkey to dry. I rather have chicken. KFC if you please, oh and some gravy too. Thanx

whisky_galore

Stacksofwacks wrote: »

I guess they thought it would be funny and a novelty and that Europe would latch onto it. As it turned out no one else really cared about our beloved Turkey, if only they had grown up with him they would have understood..

Even if you had grown up watching the turkey, it was a performance about as funny as a dose of piles.

whisky_galore

Peregrinus wrote: »

The Eurovision is decided by a public telephone poll each year.

You think people's voting decisions are swayed by their memory of one song that failed to progress from the semi-finals 12 years ago? I think you altogether overestimate the degree of interest the world takes in the history of Ireland's Eurovision entries. Most people outside Ireland have completely forgotten, if they ever knew, that this ever happened.

Can you name all the songs that performed worse that Dustin in Eurovision 2008? Can you name any of them? No, didn't think so. And yet they must have been truly awful, obviously, to be beaten by a hand-puppet lip-synching to a novelty song. How disrespectful is it to submit such dire entries to an international song competition? And they are all completely forgotten. So, outside Ireland, is Irelande douze points.

Exactly.
We don't remember every piece of fluff sh1t entry every other country put out. Apart from a very very few bands and singers who make careers subsequently on the back of it, the Eurovision is a graveyard for performers.

Pherekydes

Sam Quentin wrote: »

I do feel Europe holds it against us(we totally disrespected the competition)and we'll never be treated fairly in the Eurovision again.

Turkey holds it against us, too. Insulting their country that way.

Brock Turnpike

It was exactly what the country needed as we careered towards oblivion.

Man Vs ManUre

I would like to see Podge and Rodge represent us next year.

up for anything

Jedward twice were the real one fingered gesture - at least Dustin could hold a tune.

topper75

Catchy little number. Stuck in my head now.

"Irlanda Douze Points, Irlanda Douze Points"

Better than anything around today.

randd1

We should have sent John Waters.

If his song didn't win on the vote, he'd have sued victory from them.

Hoop66

I was walking along Dun Laoghaire seafront, very stoned, when who should I meet but Justin himself. "Howaya", he said. I nearly shat myself.

El_Duderino 09

Sam Quentin wrote: »

We will receive some sympathy along the way....but we'll never ever get what our entries deserve.....

I'd say we get about what our entries deserve. There are good musicians in Ireland and they produce good music and songs - genuine artists. But we don't send them. We send people you'd never have heard of before because they're not very good.

Look at the poppy guff we send every year. The songs that actually won for Ireland were interesting like Emer Quinn singing The Voice, or Rock'n roll kids. They weren't fast paced pop-house hybrids that nobody in Ireland would actually listen to. They were good and at least interesting.

Yeah, we get about what we aim for and what we deserve.

Church on Tuesday

Look, we are the Brazil of the Eurovision and with that comes a certain arrogance.

maudgonner

He is not a turkey, he's a turkey-vulture, ffs.

Turquoise Hexagon Sun

Ireland should just play in to it's roots, a kind of folky/celty entry. Ireland doing pop is kind of cringey. You don't think of Ireland in a romantic way and think of bubblegum, shiny, clean pop. You think of rugged men with beards playing guitars, beautiful women singing like Moya Brennan or Lisa Hannigan.

Think of The Dubliners, Clannad etc.

This boyband/X-Factor style ****e might fly for other countries but it's not really Irish. It's kind of cringey watching us Islanders with fake tan and going all Hollywood.

Having said that, it's a song contest and all bit silly anyway. Sending a Turkey is kind of hilarious for us but stupid or anyone else watching. They don't know Dustin. Just pick any random puppet you have never seen before and then think about how you would feel about that puppet. Now, that's what everyone else thought about Dustin.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

ToddDameron wrote: »

It was the result of a vote on the Late Late as I recall. The Irish public are to blame.

I still remember how utterly dismayed some of the other Eurosong finalists looked, missing out to a puppet.

its_steve116

Man Vs ManUre wrote: »

I would like to see Podge and Rodge represent us next year.

Bring it on
"I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with potato!"

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Peregrinus wrote: »

The Eurovision is decided by a public telephone poll each year.

You think people's voting decisions are swayed by their memory of one song that failed to progress from the semi-finals 12 years ago? I think you altogether overestimate the degree of interest the world takes in the history of Ireland's Eurovision entries. Most people outside Ireland have completely forgotten, if they ever knew, that this ever happened.

Can you name all the songs that performed worse that Dustin in Eurovision 2008? Can you name any of them? No, didn't think so. And yet they must have been truly awful, obviously, to be beaten by a hand-puppet lip-synching to a novelty song. How disrespectful is it to submit such dire entries to an international song competition? And they are all completely forgotten. So, outside Ireland, is Irelande douze points.

whisky_galore wrote: »

Exactly.
We don't remember every piece of fluff sh1t entry every other country put out. Apart from a very very few bands and singers who make careers subsequently on the back of it, the Eurovision is a graveyard for performers.

I watched the Eurovision song selection competition that year for some reason and whilst none of the entries were great, some were absolutely better than Dustin. He was going to win, no matter what, because "LOL, it'll be hilarious!" or something.

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I'd say we get about what our entries deserve. There are good musicians in Ireland and they produce good music and songs - genuine artists. But we don't send them. We send people you'd never have heard of before because they're not very good.

Look at the poppy guff we send every year. The songs that actually won for Ireland were interesting like Emer Quinn singing The Voice, or Rock'n roll kids. They weren't fast paced pop-house hybrids that nobody in Ireland would actually listen to. They were good and at least interesting.

Yeah, we get about what we aim for and what we deserve.

I believe that was the year and win that hastened the introduction of audience voting. And I can see why. Her shrill voice cut through me. Bleurgh.

Man Vs ManUre

Marty Whelan is still having a Eurovision program on RTÉ this Saturday.

kowloonkev

kowloonkev wrote: »

It's not possible for Ireland to win eurovision anymore, so may as well send a turkey.

7 of the last 10 winners were Western European countries.

The Netherlands won last year for the first time since the '70's.
Portugal won a few years back for the first time after 50-something previous attempts.

Absolutely no reason Ireland can't win again, we just need to send a song capable of winning which sadly we haven't done for a long time.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Deleted User wrote: »

7 of the last 10 winners were Western European countries.

The Netherlands won last year for the first time since the '70's.
Portugal won a few years back for the first time after 50-something previous attempts.

Absolutely no reason Ireland can't win again, we just need to send a song capable of winning which sadly we haven't done for a long time.

Yeah, true. The bloc voting isn’t as much of an issue as people make out. For example, if Greece and Cyprus give each other 12 points (as they almost always do) but both countries give, say, Sweden, 10 points, then Sweden is way ahead of both. That’s a simplistic example but I think it illustrates that the bit of neighbourly voting that does go on will only get a country so far.

Fr Tod Umptious

There are two myths that persist with the Eurovision.

One is that bloc and public voting has killed it, as others have pointed out bloc voting is not as influncential as people think it is.

The other is that gimmicky songs/acts win it.
They don't, and have not since the mid '00s.
For many years now "real" songs have won it.

Man Vs ManUre

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

There are two myths that persist with the Eurovision.

One is that bloc and public voting has killed it, as others have pointed out bloc voting is not as influncential as people think it is.

The other is that gimmicky songs/acts win it.
They don't, and have not since the mid '00s.
For many years now "real" songs have won it.

Except for the recent chicken woman that won. I think that year Cyprus had a really lively and modern upbeat song that came 2nd to this chicken woman.