#ESC1994: It was 30 years ago today…

If you can cast your mind back to 1994, you may know that on this day – which some celebrate as Walpurgis Night – a phenomenon was launched upon the world that remains legendary to this day.

On 30 April 1994, we were in the Point Theatre in Dublin for the 39th Eurovision Song Contest. Ireland had won in 1992 AND 1993, so hopes were high of an unprecedented third win in a row. The hosts were up against 24 other countries who wanted to get the title away from the Emerald Isle.

You’ll know that Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan triumphed with Rock n roll kids and gave RTÉ the headache of organising the 40th Contest in 1995, probably making finances very shaky in the process.

Now, back to the phenomenon. Every contest has an interval act, and for this show, RTÉ contracted Bill Whelan to come up with something. He’d been a member of Planxty who had been part of the interval act at the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest, also in Dublin. This time, Bill got together the choir Anúna, and dancers Jean Butler and Michael Flatley. They came up with the one and only Riverdance. That interval act later became a worldwide hit, with performances in major cities globally.

With that in mind, we at Eurovision Ireland are celebrating Riverdance, one of the biggest things to arise from our favourite TV show. Here is that famous performance.

Is this the best interval act ever? Tell us what you think.

Author: John Stanton

Source: Eurovision Ireland