You no doubt will all be aware by now that this year is the 70 year anniversary of our beloved contest .It’s come a long way from that day back in 1956 when Lys Assia sang her way to victory for Switzerland in the first ever song contest . We at Eurovision Ireland have decided in the days leading up to the Grand Final ,to mark the seventy years by looking back on our memories over the years that we have been involved in the contest be it be as a TV viewer during our younger years or during the media work that we do . Today I will share John’s memories .

What’s your favourite ever Eurovision song and why?

‘Lejla’ by Hari Mata Hari. It’s just a beautiful performance, with a simple backdrop. And it gets you from the opening bars. I think that if it had been in any other year, we would have been in Sarajevo in 2007.

Eurovision has seen many changes in 70 years . If you could turn the clock back, which decade would you go back to and why?

I’d go back to the 1980s. It was simpler there, and all about the song – not the glittery costumes and daft dance routines. And it was all over in under three hours.

Are there any songs you feel should have won but didn’t ?

Aside from ‘Lejla’, I would have been happy had ‘Den vilda’ won in 1996. Or ‘Where are you’ in 1998. There may be so many others but I think these three stand out.

What is your most memorable moment from all the years you have watched the contest?

Maybe watching Salvador Sobral win in 2017. I was in the audience, surrounded by Portuguese fans. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and the general atmosphere was a joyous yet very weepy occasion.

Who are your favourite Eurovision hosts and why?

What is your favourite Irish entry from 70 years of Eurovision?

This is a tough one. I would have to pick ’Is always over now’. I think this came towards the end of Ireland’s golden era, and whilst not a high flyer, has a real charm about it. There was also a simple presentation – which helps in a song contest – which sold it, to me anyway.

What is your favourite interval Act ?

There have been some cracking interval acts through the years. I have two that really made an impression.

First was 1995. That’s right, not 1994. Lumen was a celebration of voices put together by Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin with the aid of a large cast. It was atmospheric, and featured the likes of Clannad and Dame Evelin Glennie. I love all the contrasts in the song, and who doesn’t love a bit of monastic harmonising?

My other choice is from 2022, when the circus was in Turin/Torino. In the first semi-final we got treated to one of my favourite Eurovision songs of all time – Fai rumore by Diodato. The opening when he’s playing the piano is magical, and when you hear the chorus of many voices, it’s just sublime. I truly think this song would have won in 2020 given the chance.

What are your favourite memories of Eurovision over the years?

Let us know what you think of Eurovision and the seventy year anniversary by leaving us a comment below and you can find us on our Facebook, X , Instagram and Bluesky feeds .

Author : Sarah Rudman

Source : Eurovision Ireland

Visual sources : You Tube