Welcome to Eurovision Ireland’s first ever A-Z of the Eurovision Song Contest. Over the next few weeks, we will be bringing you some alphabetical memories from everyone’s favourite Song Contest. Today, we look at D.

Dublin

Dublin has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest a record six times – 1971 (Gaiety Theatre), 1981, 1988 (RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion), 1994, 1995 and 1997 (Point Theatre).

In 1997, 25 countries took part in the Contest. Belgium, Finland and Slovakia withdrew from the 1997 Contest, while Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Russia all returned.

Katrina and the Waves took victory for the United Kingdom, with “Love Shine A Light”. The United Kingdom won with 227 points, 70 points ahead of Ireland.

Dana International

Dana International is probably one of Israel’s most famous ever winners and was their third back in 1998, when the Contest took place in Birmingham.

Dana International took victory with her entry “Diva”. 172 points were enough to claim victory back in the late nineties, 6 points ahead of the United Kingdom. Dana International recently placed outside of the top ten in the United Kingdom’s “Eurovision: Come Together” show.

Danish

The Danish language first appeared at the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1957, when Denmark debuted at the second edition, in Frankfurt-am-Main.

Birthe Wilke & Gustav Winckler represented Denmark, with their entry “Skibet skal sejle I nat”. Denmark finished in third place, with just 10 points.

Ding-a-dong

Teach-In took victory for The Netherlands, for the fourth time, with “Ding-a-dong”.

Teach-In took victory for The Netherlands with 152 points, 14 points ahead of the United Kingdom. 1975 was the first Contest to use the 1-8, 10 and 12 points system – hence the winning points total so high.

Dafna Dekel

Dafna Dekel is on of many former participants who went on to host the Eurovision Song Contest – as she did in 1999, in Jerusalem.

Dafna Dekel represented Israel at the 1992 Contest in Malmo. She performed “Ze Rak Sport” and finished in 6th place, with 85 points.

Author: Richard Taylor

Source: Eurovision Ireland