Eurovision Song Contest 2021

23-05-2021 07:08PM

This is my design for a competition to choose the song for the Eurovision.

Starts off as a bit of craic, and develops into something far more serious by the end.

It was a near year long competition. (40 weeks)
There was heats from each county and district. (Dublin got 6 districts, Cork got two, all other counties got 1)
Each week, there would be heats from one county/district in that county/district, televised.
6 acts per county/district in the heats. One band member had to have a solid connection to the place, ie: come from there, went to school there etc. (No parachuting a Dublin act into Laois for example)
The acts are chosen by a county committee or something.
They all play their song live, and the studio audience (all from that county/district) would vote a winner.
This would go on for 32 weeks, til all county districts had a winner.
Then it would be like a cup competition.
4 weeks of 8 songs (second round) top 4 of each go through.
2 weeks of 8 songs, (3rd round) top 4 of each go through
1 week of 8 songs (quarter finals) top 4 go through
1 week of 4 songs (semi finals) top 2 go through.

Finally the glitzy final.

You could shorten it, but the last week could really ramp up the prep for the "show" aspect and how their stage presence and everything else developed over the last year or so. It would be easy enough to put together a decent highlights of the year as well to fill the slot

I think it would be fascinating to watch, with quite a bit of drama mixed in as well, spread throughout a year.

BarryNumber1 · 23-05-2021 07:10PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Sienad o connor would be awful

Drama queen, very high maintenance. Constantly looking for attention

That’s if she got past the national effort.

The show was good, all the kids here and their friends were voting for Italy so the result seemed to line up with that. Sinead might get a few more votes than the U.K. but might be a bit “off” for European tastes.

ShamNNspace · 23-05-2021 07:26PM

BarryNumber1 wrote: »

That’s if she got past the national effort.

The show was good, all the kids here and their friends were voting for Italy so the result seemed to line up with that. Sinead might get a few more votes than the U.K. but might be a bit “off” for European tastes.

Sinead has a large following on the European mainland, I still remember the first time I heard Mandinga, sittin in a bar in Munich called die werkstatt in 87, had to enquire who the singer was, I was so proud when I was informed she was Irish.... We were alive back in them days

YellowLead · 23-05-2021 07:30PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This is my design for a competition to choose the song for the Eurovision.

Starts off as a bit of craic, and develops into something far more serious by the end.

It was a near year long competition. (40 weeks)
There was heats from each county and district. (Dublin got 6 districts, Cork got two, all other counties got 1)
Each week, there would be heats from one county/district in that county/district, televised.
6 acts per county/district in the heats. One band member had to have a solid connection to the place, ie: come from there, went to school there etc. (No parachuting a Dublin act into Laois for example)
The acts are chosen by a county committee or something.
They all play their song live, and the studio audience (all from that county/district) would vote a winner.
This would go on for 32 weeks, til all county districts had a winner.
Then it would be like a cup competition.
4 weeks of 8 songs (second round) top 4 of each go through.
2 weeks of 8 songs, (3rd round) top 4 of each go through
1 week of 8 songs (quarter finals) top 4 go through
1 week of 4 songs (semi finals) top 2 go through.

Finally the glitzy final.

You could shorten it, but the last week could really ramp up the prep for the "show" aspect and how their stage presence and everything else developed over the last year or so. It would be easy enough to put together a decent highlights of the year as well to fill the slot

I think it would be fascinating to watch, with quite a bit of drama mixed in as well, spread throughout a year.

Sounds like waaaaay too much. No offence. But I think everybody would be sick of that fairly quickly?

Fandymo · 23-05-2021 07:34PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This is my design for a competition to choose the song for the Eurovision.

Starts off as a bit of craic, and develops into something far more serious by the end.

It was a near year long competition. (40 weeks)
There was heats from each county and district. (Dublin got 6 districts, Cork got two, all other counties got 1)
Each week, there would be heats from one county/district in that county/district, televised.
6 acts per county/district in the heats. One band member had to have a solid connection to the place, ie: come from there, went to school there etc. (No parachuting a Dublin act into Laois for example)
The acts are chosen by a county committee or something.
They all play their song live, and the studio audience (all from that county/district) would vote a winner.
This would go on for 32 weeks, til all county districts had a winner.
Then it would be like a cup competition.
4 weeks of 8 songs (second round) top 4 of each go through.
2 weeks of 8 songs, (3rd round) top 4 of each go through
1 week of 8 songs (quarter finals) top 4 go through
1 week of 4 songs (semi finals) top 2 go through.

Finally the glitzy final.

You could shorten it, but the last week could really ramp up the prep for the "show" aspect and how their stage presence and everything else developed over the last year or so. It would be easy enough to put together a decent highlights of the year as well to fill the slot

I think it would be fascinating to watch, with quite a bit of drama mixed in as well, spread throughout a year.

Why would someone in Dublin/Cork be interested in the Louth/Laois song? Would be a black hole for money. Silly idea.

Mad_maxx · 23-05-2021 07:41PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Sienad o connor would be awful

Drama queen, very high maintenance. Constantly looking for attention

She’d probably stop her performance to do some sort of bs statement rather than , y’know, actually singing the damn song ...

It’s a no from me Bob

she,d probably chose it as her moment for her annual suicide threat

BarryNumber1 · 23-05-2021 07:42PM

ShamNNspace wrote: »

Sinead has a large following on the European mainland

Didn’t know that. Would any of her euro fans be of the Eurovision watching/voting type? I’ll watch, might like a song or two but won’t vote. Kids will though and will go for the likes of the Italian entry. Their public vote was massive.

Elmo · 23-05-2021 07:52PM

KathleenGrant wrote: »

Maybe so just saying France was not the only automatic qualifier to do well.

No my mistake, just forgot because 4 of the 6 made up the final 4 .... checks.... yep that is the case

Elmo · 23-05-2021 07:57PM

Fandymo wrote: »

Why would someone in Dublin/Cork be interested in the Louth/Laois song? Would be a black hole for money. Silly idea.

2 ideas

Each local radio station chooses 5 songs which their audience vote on to represent them at a grand final. Each song broadcast on RTÉ on National each night, over six weeks (includes all 32).

Final then held in the same way as the Eurovision with a jury from each county. Not sure if public vote could be possible.

Or simply an just the final without the county rounds.

freshpopcorn · 23-05-2021 08:01PM

I can just imagine Dee Forbers realising they'll have to put a bit more money into it that just a few people having a discussion in the RTE canteen!

23-05-2021 08:08PM

YellowLead wrote: »

Sounds like waaaaay too much. No offence. But I think everybody would be sick of that fairly quickly?

I don't understand how people watch soaps 3 times or more a week, or the X factor for the entire run, but each to their own.

Fandymo wrote: »

Why would someone in Dublin/Cork be interested in the Louth/Laois song? Would be a black hole for money. Silly idea.

Why do people follow foreign sports, foreign soaps, foreign news etc? Why do we watch the Eurovision in the first place? Silly question.

As for money, all the county rounds could be done locally. No need to hire out the Helix for a year

TG4 would do a far better job than RTE anyway.

odyssey06 · 23-05-2021 08:14PM

freshpopcorn wrote: »

I can just imagine Dee Forbers realising they'll have to put a bit more money into it that just a few people having a discussion in the RTE canteen!

Government need to let RTE know that if we ever did win it again, the hosting costs wouldn't need to come out of RTE budget but government would fund it as a cultural festival. That might make them less scared of winning it...

Elmo · 23-05-2021 09:05PM

odyssey06 wrote: »

Government need to let RTE know that if we ever did win it again, the hosting costs wouldn't need to come out of RTE budget but government would fund it as a cultural festival. That might make them less scared of winning it...

RTÉ need to be told to do some work. The last time RTÉ invested time into the Eurovision was with Dustin's Entry. After that much like most things on RTÉ nothing.

RTÉ spend something like 300,000 on the Eurovision every years AFAIK. I know this includes 8 hours of TV, but they aren't spending the majority of that on the actual show, most if it going towards an entourage, does Marty or the lads on 2FM really have to go to Rome next year?

gmisk · 23-05-2021 09:13PM

BarryNumber1 wrote: »

That’s if she got past the national effort.

The show was good, all the kids here and their friends were voting for Italy so the result seemed to line up with that. Sinead might get a few more votes than the U.K. but might be a bit “off” for European tastes.

We haven't run a national contest for a good while....if we can skip a national contest to pick Lesley Roy....and Sarah McTernan...I think we could do the same to have fecking Sinead OConnor!

fryup · 23-05-2021 09:35PM

just thinkin maybe its best that the irish girl got knocked out in the semi's??

i mean imagine being in the final and getting ZERO points?? that would be far more painful

at least in the semi's its just a case of not being selected

jackboy · 23-05-2021 09:44PM

gmisk wrote: »

We haven't run a national contest for a good while....if we can skip a national contest to pick Lesley Roy....and Sarah McTernan...I think we could do the same to have fecking Sinead OConnor!

I think Lesley Roy and the song were not too bad but a lot of things were messed up.

She was obviously encouraged to sing in a fake accent which sounded horrible. She was put in horrible clothes and given a bad hairstyle. She was made to run around the stage for some reason which made her out of breath. The staging was embarrassingly bad.

If she just went out in her pyjamas, stood in front of a microphone and sang, I guarantee she would have done much better.

BarryNumber1 · 23-05-2021 10:11PM

gmisk wrote: »

We haven't run a national contest for a good while....if we can skip a national contest to pick Lesley Roy....and Sarah McTernan...I think we could do the same to have fecking Sinead OConnor!

I had forgotten that.

Seriously… just leave the whole shebang here to the under 20s.

odyssey06 · 23-05-2021 10:18PM

BarryNumber1 wrote: »

I had forgotten that.
Seriously… just leave the whole shebang here to the under 20s.

20 somethings maybe... Apart from Malta, Greece and Bulgaria the top entries this year were older than 20.

Pussyhands · 23-05-2021 10:24PM

Absolutely class! Hair raising stuff.

Saved to my favourites!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmN2H16EmMo

Pussyhands · 23-05-2021 10:30PM

Best interval ever! Usually I'm wishing it would hurry up but it was class yesterday.

Love that Sweden song "Heroes"

Fandymo · 23-05-2021 10:31PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I don't understand how people watch soaps 3 times or more a week, or the X factor for the entire run, but each to their own.

Why do people follow foreign sports, foreign soaps, foreign news etc? Why do we watch the Eurovision in the first place? Silly question.

As for money, all the county rounds could be done locally. No need to hire out the Helix for a year

TG4 would do a far better job than RTE anyway.

Would be a ratings black hole. Would get zero sponsorship. Would cost a fortune.

Foreign sports are of a higher standard than LOI or would have an Irish angle, although I am a LOI fan, foreign soaps are of a much higher standard than Fair City, I’m not sure how many people watch foreign news, bar huge international stories. TG4 wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole.

Elmo · 23-05-2021 10:39PM

Fandymo wrote: »

Would be a ratings black hole. Would get zero sponsorship. Would cost a fortune.

Foreign sports are of a higher standard than LOI or would have an Irish angle, although I am a LOI fan, foreign soaps are of a much higher standard than Fair City, I’m not sure how many people watch foreign news, bar huge international stories. TG4 wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole.

A long from competition utilizing local and national broadcasters, along with the 7pm slot following the 6.1 news, and final Saturday night show would allow for ratings.

But that should not be the reason to air or produce a programme or to at least pilot a programme.

Regardless of the format, look at the popularity of You're A Star when it aired.

I have found Ros Na Run often equals the British soaps, but then I can't watch EastEnders, and weather you or I like it or not Fair City retains an audience.

archfi · 23-05-2021 10:43PM

National Warning:
Do not in any way go down the road of counties as a framework for picking a decent effort from Ireland.
Jaysus. Just don't.

AndyBoBandy · 24-05-2021 09:50AM

I was driving along the motorway yesterday and saw a sign for Mullingar, and thought why don't we ask yer man Niall Horan to do a song and perform it at Eurovision??

I don't think it would be a step down or step back for him given he emerged from the X Factor/boyband/cheesy pop world....

Surely he'd be a good shout to at least qualify for the final.... I know we did similar with Jedward & Nicky Byrne, but this guy Horan seems to have a little bit of talent, and can play a guitar.... Got to be worth a shot??

Also, who was watching Reeling in the Years 2016 last night, and thinking during every Irish song "this would be a belter for the Eurovision"

As I said earlier in the thread, sod trying to win it, just use it to promote Irish culture, and all things Irish..

It's about time we gave up on the generic pop trash that we are clearly rubbish at... (I'm aware this slightly contradicts my above statement re Horan, but he could easily fall into the singer/songwriter with a guitar/Ed Sheehan category).... )(just as long as he's not singing about how much he loves loving you or some other generic pop rubbish...)

fluke · 24-05-2021 11:25AM

The problem with Ireland and Eurovision is that:

1. We're snobby when it comes to Eurovision, any established Irish artist is not going to go for Eurovision, as the contest is 'beneath them'

2. As an English speaking nation we put our best foot forward with radio play on a national and an international level. Unlike, say Russian, there are some of our acts in general that will see the light of the day beyond our borders. Therefore our options are watered down.

3. Even with the split in our Eurovision entries and our recent song quality output, the quality overall in general, is not that bombastic or ambitious as Eurovision warrants (I blame national radio and TV coverage for failing to recognise ambition in favour of twee/generic). I don't know what half of the other Eurovision entries are about, but they're ambitious, whether that be technically, lyrically, vocally.

odyssey06 · 24-05-2021 11:41AM

fluke wrote: »

The problem with Ireland and Eurovision is that:
2. As an English speaking nation we put our best foot forward with radio play on a national and an international level. Unlike, say Russian, there are some of our acts in general that will see the light of the day beyond our borders. Therefore our options are watered down.

Maybe not at global (aka American level) but I think you underestimate the profile of European artists across other countries of similar language \ culture.

Russian artists would have an international profile among the large Russian speaking communities in other eastern European countries.
Italian acts get exposure at San Remo across Europe.
France-Belgium-Switzerland would have shared language connections.

tobefrank321 · 24-05-2021 12:06PM

English is the most common second language in Europe and about 90% of winning songs are in English since the rules were changed to allow for any language.

Its another reason why we no longer stand out.

The main reasons why we have gone backwards in the competition are a combination of:

1. More English songs
2. More entrants so more competition
3. We're terrible at staging
4. Bland acts and songs

Just send a death metal band next year and see how we do.

the purple tin · 24-05-2021 12:08PM

I remember Thom Yorke saying a few years ago that he would love to enter ESC for the UK, either solo or with Radiohead.
Why have they not taken him up on the offer?

Furze99 · 24-05-2021 12:22PM

iffandonlyif wrote: »

That voting system was torturous to watch. I don’t enjoy seeing people’s hopes built up only to be dashed.

Hah it was great.. some of these people have pretty large egos. If they can't stand the heat in the kitchen, not the place for them.

Pussyhands · 24-05-2021 12:34PM

No I hope the eurovision doesn't go that route of just getting the biggest names...getting Niall Horan because he has fans from 1D that will vote for him.

It's far too risky for a big name to enter anyways. If they don't win it then it looks like they're not that popular.

Eurovision Song Contest 2021

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