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 are at the letter I.

Istanbul

Harrogate, hosted the forty-ninth Eurovision Song Contest in 2004 – at the “Abdi Ipekci Arena” – the first Contest to feature a permanent Semi Final.

In 2004, 36 countries took part in the Contest. Albania, Andorra, Belarus and Serbia & Montenegro made their debut in Istanbul. Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Monaco, North Macedonia and Switzerland all returned. Ruslana took victory for Ukraine, with “Wild Dances”. Ukraine won with 280 points, 17 points ahead of Serbia & Montenegro.

Isabelle Aubret

Isabelle Aubret is probably one of France’s most famous ever winners at the Eurovision Song Contest and was their third winner in 1962, when the Contest took place in Luxembourg.

Isabelle Aubret took victory with her entry “Un Premier Amour”. 26 points were enough to claim victory at the seventh Contest, 13 points ahead of Monaco.

Imaginary

Imaginary languages first appeared at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003, in Riga. It took the an imaginary language 48 years to appear at the Contest.

Urban Trad represented Belgium, with their entry “Sanomi”. Belgium finished in 2nd place, with 165 points in Riga.

Iceland

Iceland debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1986. During thirty-three attempts, the country has reached the Grand Final twenty-six times.

1999 saw Iceland’s most successful entry (on par with 2009). Selma performed her entry “All Out Of Luck”. Selma achieved a 2nd place, with a total of 146 points.

I Wanna

Marie N took victory for Latvia, for the only time to date, with “I Wanna”.

Marie N took victory for Latvia with 176 points, 12 points ahead of Malta.

Author: Richard Taylor

Source: Eurovision Ireland