Eurovision Song Contest 2025 - Mod warning in the OP

Why can't it just be about a song contest? Why bring the politics into it, do we think the Israeli entry are calling the shots in the war or something

Ireland is supposed to be well known worldwide for our musical talent. The Germans are known for their engineering and time-keeping, for example. Yet how is it with all the musical talent in this ccountry we still needed help from a scandavian country to put together a eurovision entry, and it fails to get in to the final? Even though we have the advantage of being native English speakers, the language most widely understood internationally in music? A bit embarrassing.

And then to cap it all, Israels singer this year is a survivor of the Hamas attack on the Nova Music Festival in Israel in October 2023. The music festival where Hamas killed 1200 and kidnapped 250, some of whom are still held hostage. The day after that attack, Kneecap were photographed with a massive palestinian flag and grinning, congratulating Hamas. If we really wanted to let ourselves down, could'nt we just send Kneecap to the Eurovision instead ? With a bit of luck, as Kneecap have shouted UP HAMAS at another concert, we could get kicked out of eurovision for good?

I take no smug self satisfaction but yeah…called it months ago back in Feb.

A bizarre choice to send as Ireland’s song.

I didn’t watch last night (because of the totally disgusting double standards that have let Israel into the contest) but from all accounts the staging and live “performance” was brutal.

It's a completely different contest to when we were winning routinely. Ballads were much more the fashion than they are now, and there was zero staging needed, you had a stage lights, and an orchestra (remember Noel Kelehan every year?). The juries alone decided the points. You had fewer countries, no semi finals, so you were straight in. That all changed late nineties, maybe as a reaction to Ireland's dominance, though more likely it was a much needed shake up, audience televotes, faster paced songs, elaborate staging became a necessity. No more orchestras. We never adapted, and have barely figured in any Eurovision over the last thirty years, bar a couple of decent top ten efforts. I say it every year, but the people who are writing Irish songs, need to look at the competition each year. Figure it out, the formula is well known. Making it is more difficult. I really think Ireland shouldn't enter for a couple of years. Marty will still get his junket unfortunately, that isn't going to change.

Does James Patrice have an interest in Eurovision? He has a great wit and could see him doing a competent job. Well liked too.

Mairead Ronan is a big Eurovision fan but she’s insufferable.

I'm confused as to why RTE are sticking with Marty Whelan and clearly Marty Whelan has no self awareness of how bad he is. It's like someone's great grandad commentating.

I used to watch Marty for the semis, and then Graham Norton for the grand final, but the last couple of years it’s the BBC for all the shows. They have good commentators in Rylan and Scott Mills, so I don’t have to suffer Marty at all.

It’s RTE! When it comes to Eurovision, they just do the same thing every year, even if it’s not working.

Same here - it just went off and said "no signal", had to reboot it a few times!

And they mocked Barbithug, be careful what you wish for

Fruitloops are the way to go

I don't think the subject was really the issue, other songs about dark subjects have done well, Jamala 1944 springs to mind.

I thought her voice was fine, the song is generic, it needed good staging to push it into being a qualifier, which it definitely did not get.

Based on the options presented in the dark poorly staged corner of the late late it was the best we had available to pick depressingly.

Not sure what was going on with my Sky Q last night during the show.

screen went black about 5 times even though the green power light was still on.

Its time for a new presenter other than Marty Whelan am the only one who found it difficult to understand the drivel he was talking last night his voice is clearly gone time to move on .

Either should Australia. They're not in Europe (football aside)