Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008
Encyclopedia
Ireland participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 after Radio Telefís Éireann
(RTÉ) held a national final, Eurosong 2008, to select the Irish entry for the contest, held in Belgrade
, Serbia
. For 2008, RTÉ reverted to their multi-song multi-singer format that had previously been used to select the Irish entry at Eurovision. Six artists competed in the final, with the Irish public choosing the winner through televoting
and SMS. Residents of Northern Ireland
could also take part in the voting through televoting and SMS. The winner was Dustin the Turkey
with the song "Irelande Douze Pointe
". At Eurovision, he placed 15th in the semi-final, failing to qualify for the final of the contest.
and has since entered a total of 41 entries up to 2007 with its 42nd entrance in 2008.
Ireland has won the contest seven times in total, with no other country beating or equaling that record. The country's first win came in their sixth entry, in 1970
, with then-16-year-old Dana
winning with "All Kinds of Everything
". Ireland holds the record for being the only country to win the country three times in a row (in 1992
, 1993
and 1994
), as well as having the only three-time winner (Johnny Logan
, who won in 1980
as a singer, 1987
as a singer-songwriter, and again in 1992 as a songwriter). In recent years, however, Ireland's impressive record at Eurovision has taken a turn, with only two Top 10 results during the 2000s, and Ireland's first last place finish in 2007
.
The Irish national broadcater, Radio Telefís Éireann
(RTÉ) broadcasts the event each year and organizes the selection process for the selection its entry. Many methods of selection have been used, with the most common method used by RTÉ being a national final featuring a multi-artist, multi-song selection in which regional juries, and later the public, choosing the winner. In recent years the artist has sometimes been selected internally by RTÉ, with the song being chosen by the public, and previously a talent show format, You're a Star
, was used between the years 2003
and 2005
.
, RTÉ announced that they would review their position in the contest with Tara O’Brien of RTÉ saying that they would "definitely be having a sit-down and looking at our geographical position and going through the whole process." RTÉ reached a consensus and agreed to change the selection process and revert to the "National Song Contest" format that was used in Ireland before 2001, resulting in seven Irish winners.
Eurosong 2008 was the name of the Irish national final that replaced 2007's selection process for 2008. An open call for songs by RTÉ was conducted, with the deadline for submissions set at 23 January 2008. A judging panel, including Irish Eurovision winner Linda Martin
, reduced the shortlist of entries from the 150 songs submitted to RTÉ to just six entries. Of the 150 songs submitted, many were by previous Irish national final songwriters, including Karl Broderick (Ireland 2005 songwriter), Niall Mooney (You're A Star 2004 songwriter) and Marc Roberts
(Ireland 1997). Similar to the "National Song Contest" that Ireland adopted before 2001, the contest not only took song quality into account, but also visual presentation and proposed performance details. Three judges were present at the contest, giving their views on the songs, as well as their personal opinions. They were Louis Walsh
, Irish music manager and X Factor
judge, Dana Rosemary Scallon
, Irish Eurovision winner of 1970
, and Marija Šerifović
, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 for Serbia
.
The six songs that competed in the contest were revealed on 3 February, with the artists featuring children's television presenter/puppet Dustin the Turkey
and former Irish Eurovision entrant Marc Roberts
.
in Limerick
, on 23 February 2008 and hosted by Ray D'Arcy
. The University Concert Hall also hosted the 1994 national final, where "Rock 'n' Roll Kids
" was selected to represent Ireland, securing Ireland's sixth win.
The interval act of the contest was of jury member Marija Šerifović singing "Molitva
", the song with which she won the Eurovision Song Contest 2007
. After Dustin the Turkey was announced as the winner, he closed the show singing his song: "Irelande Douze Pointe".
Dustin won Eurosong 2008, and went on to represent Ireland in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 on 20 May 2008. Only the winner of the final was announced; it is unknown where the other five songs placed.
, Dustin was obliged to perform his song in one of the two semi-finals of the 2008 contest. The EBU split up countries with a friendly voting history into the two different semi-finals, to give a better chance to other countries to win. On 28 January 2008, the EBU held a special draw which determined that Ireland would be in the first semi-final, held on 20 May 2008.
Dana, one of the judges at Eurosong, spoke out against Dustin's entry, calling it a "mockery of the competition" and calling for Dustin and RTÉ to withdraw from the contest. The entry was also said to have been in breach of the rules of the contest, due to the mocking nature that could "bring the Shows or the ESC as such into disrepute", however, the song was not disqualified. Due to the controversial nature of his entry, Dustin received widespread publicity over his entry before and after his victory. He was mentioned in Spanish media before winning Eurosong and after his victory, Dustin appeared on This Morning
, a popular British morning programme on ITV
, during Saint Patrick's Day
celebrations.
For the contest, the commentator for the semi-finals and final on RTÉ One
and Two
was Marty Whelan
, while the commentator for RTÉ Radio 1
was Larry Gogan
.
Dustin, along with his back-up dancers Kitty B and Ann Harrington, sang at the first semi-final on 20 May 2008, performing 11th on the night. The EBU had forced a change of lyrics of the Eurovision performance of the song after the Greek broadcaster Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi
(ERT) complained over the use of "Macedonia" in the lyrics of the song in light of the Macedonia naming dispute
. The EBU reference group forced the Irish delegation to either change the lyrics of the song to "FYR Macedonia" or similar, or remove Macedonia from the lyrics altogether.
The stage show at the semi-final included Dustin in his trolley, wearing a silver suit. The trolley was dressed in green, white and gold, with the girls wearing gold dresses, green gloves and head-dresses in green, white and gold. Two of the male backing dancers wore large green, white and gold wings and danced around the stage, while the third back-up dancer wore a gold jump suit. The stage involved rippling effects of black and white, as well as waves of green, white and orange
through the LCD screens on the stage. Despite being one of the favourites to win the contest outright Dustin only managed to receive 22 points, placing 15th of the 19 countries competing and failing to reach the final. He received seven points from Estonia
, four from Belgium
, three from Israel
, two from Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Finland
, and one from Montenegro
, the Netherlands
, Norway
, and Spain
. The highest number of points a country can award is 12.
in the European Union
, calling for a 'No' vote by the Irish on the referendum for the amendment of the Irish constitution to allow the adoption of the treaty. Dustin's campaign included the slogan "They didn't vote for us. Get them back. Vote 'No' to Lisbon", referring to his failure at Eurovision.
RTÉ also announced that it was seeking a new television format for the turkey, targeting a more mature audience, but the show will not be in a chat-show format. Pilots are currently in production, however the show is not expected to be aired on RTÉ until 2009.
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(RTÉ) held a national final, Eurosong 2008, to select the Irish entry for the contest, held in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. For 2008, RTÉ reverted to their multi-song multi-singer format that had previously been used to select the Irish entry at Eurovision. Six artists competed in the final, with the Irish public choosing the winner through televoting
Televoting
Televoting, telephone voting or phone voting is a method of decision making and opinion polling conducted by telephone. Televoting can also extend to voting by SMS text message via a mobile cell phone.- Broadcast contest televoting :...
and SMS. Residents of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
could also take part in the voting through televoting and SMS. The winner was Dustin the Turkey
Dustin the Turkey
Dustin the Turkey is a puppet, "television presenter" and star of RTÉ television's The Den since 1989. A turkey with a strong Dublin accent, Dustin is voiced by John Morrison, brother of Ciaran Morrison who was one of the creators of Zig and Zag. Dustin first appeared on The Den with Zig and Zag in...
with the song "Irelande Douze Pointe
Irelande Douze Pointe
is a parody song by the puppet act Dustin the Turkey. The song was composed by Darren Smith and Simon Fine for the competition to select the Irish submission for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. On February 23, 2008, it won against five other entries in Eurosong 2008, held at the University of...
". At Eurovision, he placed 15th in the semi-final, failing to qualify for the final of the contest.
Background
Ireland first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965Eurovision Song Contest 1965
The Eurovision Song Contest 1965 was the 10th in the series. Luxembourg's win was their second. Belgium, Finland, Germany, and Spain each scored "null points" for the second time. The 1965 contest marked the debut of Ireland, a country which later went on to dominate the competition. This was also...
and has since entered a total of 41 entries up to 2007 with its 42nd entrance in 2008.
Ireland has won the contest seven times in total, with no other country beating or equaling that record. The country's first win came in their sixth entry, in 1970
Eurovision Song Contest 1970
The Eurovision Song Contest 1970 was the 15th Eurovision Song Contest, held on 21 March 1970 at the RAI Congrescentrum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Amsterdam contest is regarded as one of the most significant in Eurovision history for a number of reasons....
, with then-16-year-old Dana
Dana Rosemary Scallon
Dana Rosemary Scallon , known in her singing career simply as Dana, is an Irish singer and former Member of the European Parliament ....
winning with "All Kinds of Everything
All Kinds Of Everything
"All Kinds of Everything" is a song written by Derry Lindsay and Jackie Smith which as performed by Dana won the Eurovision Song Contest 1970. "All Kinds of Everything" represented a return to the ballad form from the more energetic performances which had dominated Eurovision the previous years...
". Ireland holds the record for being the only country to win the country three times in a row (in 1992
Eurovision Song Contest 1992
The Eurovision Song Contest 1992 was the 37th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1992 in Malmö, Sweden. The presenters were Lydia Cappolicchio and Harald Treutiger. Linda Martin, representing Ireland, was the winner of this Eurovision with the song Why Me?. The song was written by Johnny...
, 1993
Eurovision Song Contest 1993
The Eurovision Song Contest 1993 was the 38th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 15 May 1993 in Millstreet, County Cork, Ireland. The presenter was Fionnuala Sweeney. Niamh Kavanagh was the winner of this Eurovision for Ireland with the song, "In Your Eyes"...
and 1994
Eurovision Song Contest 1994
The Eurovision Song Contest 1994 was the 39th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 30 April 1994 in the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. The presenters were Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Gerry Ryan. The pair hosted the evening in French, English and Irish...
), as well as having the only three-time winner (Johnny Logan
Johnny Logan (singer)
Johnny Logan , is an Australian-born Irish singer and composer. He is regarded as "Mister Eurovision", having participated in the Eurovision Song Contest many times since the 1970s, and, since 1992, has been the most successful artist in Eurovision history.Logan has won the international contest on...
, who won in 1980
Eurovision Song Contest 1980
The Eurovision Song Contest 1980 was the 25th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 19 April 1980 in The Hague. The presenter was Marlous Fluitsma, although each song was introduced by a presenter from the nation represented...
as a singer, 1987
Eurovision Song Contest 1987
The Eurovision Song Contest 1987 was the 32nd Eurovision Song Contest and was held on 9 May 1987 in Brussels, Belgium after Sandra Kim's win the previous year. The presenter was Viktor Lazlo. Johnny Logan was the winner for Ireland with the song "Hold Me Now"...
as a singer-songwriter, and again in 1992 as a songwriter). In recent years, however, Ireland's impressive record at Eurovision has taken a turn, with only two Top 10 results during the 2000s, and Ireland's first last place finish in 2007
Eurovision Song Contest 2007
The Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was won by first-time appearance as an independent country Serbia and was held at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland from 10 May to 12 May. The host broadcaster was YLE.Finland earned the right to host...
.
The Irish national broadcater, Radio Telefís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(RTÉ) broadcasts the event each year and organizes the selection process for the selection its entry. Many methods of selection have been used, with the most common method used by RTÉ being a national final featuring a multi-artist, multi-song selection in which regional juries, and later the public, choosing the winner. In recent years the artist has sometimes been selected internally by RTÉ, with the song being chosen by the public, and previously a talent show format, You're a Star
You're A Star
You're a Star was a singing contest in Ireland,similar to th X Factor in the United Kingdom and American Idol in the USA created by Screentime ShinAwiL and Radio Telefís Éireann. It was shown weekly on RTÉ One over the winter months of each year...
, was used between the years 2003
Eurovision Song Contest 2003
The Eurovision Song Contest 2003 was the forty-eighth Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Skonto Hall in Riga, Latvia on 24 May 2003. The hosts were Marie N and Renārs Kaupers. Sertab Erener, the Turkish entrant, won the contest with "Everyway That I Can", scoring 167 points. The winning...
and 2005
Eurovision Song Contest 2005
The Eurovision Song Contest 2005 was the 50th Eurovision Song Contest, which was held at the Palace of Sports, Kiev, Ukraine. The winner was Greece's My Number One, written by Christos Dantis and Natalia Germanou and performed by Swedish-born Greek singer Elena Paparizou, who scored 230 points,...
.
Format
After placing last in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007Eurovision Song Contest 2007
The Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was won by first-time appearance as an independent country Serbia and was held at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland from 10 May to 12 May. The host broadcaster was YLE.Finland earned the right to host...
, RTÉ announced that they would review their position in the contest with Tara O’Brien of RTÉ saying that they would "definitely be having a sit-down and looking at our geographical position and going through the whole process." RTÉ reached a consensus and agreed to change the selection process and revert to the "National Song Contest" format that was used in Ireland before 2001, resulting in seven Irish winners.
Eurosong 2008 was the name of the Irish national final that replaced 2007's selection process for 2008. An open call for songs by RTÉ was conducted, with the deadline for submissions set at 23 January 2008. A judging panel, including Irish Eurovision winner Linda Martin
Linda Martin
Linda Martin is an Irish singer and television presenter. She is best known in Europe as the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1992, with the song "Why Me?", and in Ireland as a member of the 1970s/1980s band, Chips.-Chips:Martin started off her musical career when she joined the band Chips...
, reduced the shortlist of entries from the 150 songs submitted to RTÉ to just six entries. Of the 150 songs submitted, many were by previous Irish national final songwriters, including Karl Broderick (Ireland 2005 songwriter), Niall Mooney (You're A Star 2004 songwriter) and Marc Roberts
Marc Roberts
Marc Roberts is a singer-songwriter, originally from Crossmolina, County Mayo, and now based in Galway. Prior to 1997, he fronted his own band doing own original work and American country classics. In May of that year he represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest with "Mysterious Woman",...
(Ireland 1997). Similar to the "National Song Contest" that Ireland adopted before 2001, the contest not only took song quality into account, but also visual presentation and proposed performance details. Three judges were present at the contest, giving their views on the songs, as well as their personal opinions. They were Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
, Irish music manager and X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
judge, Dana Rosemary Scallon
Dana Rosemary Scallon
Dana Rosemary Scallon , known in her singing career simply as Dana, is an Irish singer and former Member of the European Parliament ....
, Irish Eurovision winner of 1970
Eurovision Song Contest 1970
The Eurovision Song Contest 1970 was the 15th Eurovision Song Contest, held on 21 March 1970 at the RAI Congrescentrum in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Amsterdam contest is regarded as one of the most significant in Eurovision history for a number of reasons....
, and Marija Šerifović
Marija Šerifovic
Marija Šerifović is a singer from Serbia. She won the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Molitva". Šerifović was born in Kragujevac, Socialist Republic of Serbia, Yugoslavia and is the daughter of Verica Šerifović, also a notable singer...
, winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 for Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
The six songs that competed in the contest were revealed on 3 February, with the artists featuring children's television presenter/puppet Dustin the Turkey
Dustin the Turkey
Dustin the Turkey is a puppet, "television presenter" and star of RTÉ television's The Den since 1989. A turkey with a strong Dublin accent, Dustin is voiced by John Morrison, brother of Ciaran Morrison who was one of the creators of Zig and Zag. Dustin first appeared on The Den with Zig and Zag in...
and former Irish Eurovision entrant Marc Roberts
Marc Roberts
Marc Roberts is a singer-songwriter, originally from Crossmolina, County Mayo, and now based in Galway. Prior to 1997, he fronted his own band doing own original work and American country classics. In May of that year he represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest with "Mysterious Woman",...
.
Donal Skehan
- Donal Skehan entered a song composed by Joel Humlen, Oscar Gorres and Charlie Mason, called "Double Cross My Heart". Mason had previously wrote a song for pop band MonroseMonroseMonrose was a German pop band, first established in November 2006. Formed on the fifth installment of the German adaption of the international television talent show Popstars on the ProSieben network, the trio consisted of singers and songwriters Mandy Capristo, Senna Guemmour, and Bahar...
for the German national final in 2007Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007Germany selected the participant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with a national selection in Hamburg on March 8, 2007. A total of three acts competed to go to Helsinki, the swing singer Roger Cicero, the girl group Monrose, and the singer/songwriter Heinz Rudolf Kunze. .The national...
. The song is a pop song, described by Skehan as "Eurovision by numbers". It was performed by Skehan with two male and two female back-up dancers, as well as a male back-up singer, with Skehan wearing a silver waistcoat and trousers. The performance started with Skehan singing in a spotlight, with the dancers swaying in the background, before coming out and dancing around him.
Dustin the Turkey
- Rumours circulated around Ireland after a news-piece on the RTÉ website claimed that famous Irish children's-TV presenter Dustin the TurkeyDustin the TurkeyDustin the Turkey is a puppet, "television presenter" and star of RTÉ television's The Den since 1989. A turkey with a strong Dublin accent, Dustin is voiced by John Morrison, brother of Ciaran Morrison who was one of the creators of Zig and Zag. Dustin first appeared on The Den with Zig and Zag in...
had entered a song for Eurosong, then called "Twelve points, douze points". When the list of songs that was issued by RTÉ, it did in fact include Dustin, who was then tipped as the favourite to win the contest. Dustin's entry, "Irelande Douze PointeIrelande Douze Pointeis a parody song by the puppet act Dustin the Turkey. The song was composed by Darren Smith and Simon Fine for the competition to select the Irish submission for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. On February 23, 2008, it won against five other entries in Eurosong 2008, held at the University of...
", is a mock entry, making fun of the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
, with lyrics such as "Drag acts and bad acts and Terry WoganTerry WoganSir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
's wig". The title of the song also mocks the contest, mimiking the famous phrase from Eurovision "douze points". The song was composed by Darren Smith, Simon Fine and Dustin (aka Johnny Morrison). Dustin was present on stage in a trolley, with Kitty B (Kathleen Burke) and Ann Harrington singing back-up, along with three male back-up dancers. The performance began with Dustin being wheeled-out from the side of the stage by a cloaked figure, with the trolley also being cloaked. The cloaks were removed and the performance included a lot of dancing by the back-up dancers, bathed in green, white and gold, the colours of the Irish flag.
Maja
- SloveniaSloveniaSlovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n singer Maja Slatinšek had entered her song, "Time to Rise", composed by herself and Ziga Pirnat, into not only the Irish final, but also the SlovenianSlovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008Radiotelevizija Slovenija announced a public invitation for the submission of songs for EMA 2008. The deadline for the submission of the entries was 30 November 2007. EMA 2008 had two semi finals with 10 songs each and one final, held in February, with the first ten qualifiers.The Slovene National...
and RomanianRomania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008Romania selected its Eurovision Song Contest 2008 through Selecţia Naţională, a national final consisting of two-semifinals and a final. The eventual winners were Nico and Vlad Miriţă with the dual-language Romanian/Italian "Pe-o margine de lume". Romania took part in the first semi-final on 20 May...
finals as well. Slovenian broadcaster Radiotelevizija SlovenijaRadiotelevizija SlovenijaRadiotelevizija Slovenija – usually abbreviated to RTV Slovenija – is Slovenia's national public broadcasting organization. Based in the country's capital, Ljubljana, it has regional broadcasting centres in Koper and Maribor and correspondents around Slovenia, Europe and the world...
(RTV SLO) did not chose Slatinšek's song to compete in EMA 2008, the Slovenian final, but RTÉ and the Romanian broadcaster Televiziunea RomânăRomanian televisionRomanian television may refer to:* Communications media in Romania* Televiziunea Română, TVR, the national television network* List of Romanian language television channels...
(TVR) allowed her to compete in their respective national finals. Slatinšek withdrew from the Romanian final, with her and Pirnat saying that the chance of competing in Ireland was higher than that of Romania, with the Romanian national final, Selecţia Naţională 2008Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008Romania selected its Eurovision Song Contest 2008 through Selecţia Naţională, a national final consisting of two-semifinals and a final. The eventual winners were Nico and Vlad Miriţă with the dual-language Romanian/Italian "Pe-o margine de lume". Romania took part in the first semi-final on 20 May...
, containing 24 songs over two semi-finals. The "possibility of being among the Irish finalists, one of the biggest powers in Eurovision, was an offer we could not turn down," said Slatinšek. Slatinšek's performance involved her singing for the first half of the song with four male dancers coming in later on, and performing artistic moves around her. The end of the performance involved her being raised on a box, with her plain white dress being lowered over it.
Leona Daly
- Leona Daly entered the contest with "Not Crazy After All", composed by her and Steve Booker. The song was performed by Daly in a dark coat, that was taken off during the performance to reveal a red dress. She was accompanied on stage by a band, consisting of a guitarist, keaboardist and drummer in shirts and ties, as well as a female backing singer wearing a black dress.
Liam Geddes
- Liam Geddes submitted "Sometimes" to the judging panel at RTÉ, written by Susan Hewitt. The song was performed by Geddes on the night of the contest in a red shirt and suit, as well as with a female pianist, a violinist and cellist, as well as a male and a female backing singer. The song began with Geddes sitting on a stool, leaning against the piano, before he got up and walked around the stage.
Marc Roberts
- Marc Roberts sang "Chances" at Eurosong 2008, composed by himself. Roberts was the Irish entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1997Eurovision Song Contest 1997The Eurovision Song Contest 1997, was the 42nd Eurovision Song Contest and it was held at the Point Theatre Dublin, Ireland, on 3 May 1997. Boyzone member Ronan Keating and Carrie Crowley were the presenters of the show....
in Dublin, coming second. His performance at Eurosong involved him singing from a microphone stand, with two male and two female singers singing back-up, with the female singers swaying to the song. Roberts wore a shirt and tie, with the backing singers wearing black.
The final
Eurosong 2008 was held at the University Concert HallUniversity of Limerick
The University of Limerick is a university in Ireland near the city of Limerick on the island's west coast. It was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989...
in Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, on 23 February 2008 and hosted by Ray D'Arcy
Ray D'Arcy
Raymond 'Ray' D'Arcy is an Irish television and radio presenter. He currently presents a weekday morning radio programme, The Ray D'Arcy Show, on Today FM...
. The University Concert Hall also hosted the 1994 national final, where "Rock 'n' Roll Kids
Rock 'n' Roll Kids
"Rock 'n' Roll Kids" was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1994, composed by Brendan Graham and performed for Ireland by Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan...
" was selected to represent Ireland, securing Ireland's sixth win.
The interval act of the contest was of jury member Marija Šerifović singing "Molitva
Molitva
"Molitva" is a song by Serbian singer Marija Šerifović. It was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007. It was Serbia's Eurovision debut as an independent nation; the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro having dissolved in June 2006...
", the song with which she won the Eurovision Song Contest 2007
Eurovision Song Contest 2007
The Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was won by first-time appearance as an independent country Serbia and was held at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland from 10 May to 12 May. The host broadcaster was YLE.Finland earned the right to host...
. After Dustin the Turkey was announced as the winner, he closed the show singing his song: "Irelande Douze Pointe".
Dustin won Eurosong 2008, and went on to represent Ireland in the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 on 20 May 2008. Only the winner of the final was announced; it is unknown where the other five songs placed.
| Draw | Singer | Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Donal Skehan | "Double Cross My Heart" | Joel Humlen, Oscar Görres, Charlie Mason |
| 2 | Dustin the Turkey Dustin the Turkey Dustin the Turkey is a puppet, "television presenter" and star of RTÉ television's The Den since 1989. A turkey with a strong Dublin accent, Dustin is voiced by John Morrison, brother of Ciaran Morrison who was one of the creators of Zig and Zag. Dustin first appeared on The Den with Zig and Zag in... |
"Irelande Douze Pointe Irelande Douze Pointe is a parody song by the puppet act Dustin the Turkey. The song was composed by Darren Smith and Simon Fine for the competition to select the Irish submission for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. On February 23, 2008, it won against five other entries in Eurosong 2008, held at the University of... " |
Darren Smith, Simon Fine, Dustin the Turkey Dustin the Turkey Dustin the Turkey is a puppet, "television presenter" and star of RTÉ television's The Den since 1989. A turkey with a strong Dublin accent, Dustin is voiced by John Morrison, brother of Ciaran Morrison who was one of the creators of Zig and Zag. Dustin first appeared on The Den with Zig and Zag in... |
| 3 | Maja | "Time to Rise" | Maja Slatinšek, Ziga Pirnat |
| 4 | Leona Daly | "Not Crazy After All" | Leona Daly, Steve Booker |
| 5 | Liam Geddes | "Sometimes" | Susan Hewitt |
| 6 | Marc Roberts Marc Roberts Marc Roberts is a singer-songwriter, originally from Crossmolina, County Mayo, and now based in Galway. Prior to 1997, he fronted his own band doing own original work and American country classics. In May of that year he represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest with "Mysterious Woman",... |
"Chances" | Marc Roberts Marc Roberts Marc Roberts is a singer-songwriter, originally from Crossmolina, County Mayo, and now based in Galway. Prior to 1997, he fronted his own band doing own original work and American country classics. In May of that year he represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest with "Mysterious Woman",... |
At Eurovision
Since Ireland came last in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007Eurovision Song Contest 2007
The Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It was won by first-time appearance as an independent country Serbia and was held at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland from 10 May to 12 May. The host broadcaster was YLE.Finland earned the right to host...
, Dustin was obliged to perform his song in one of the two semi-finals of the 2008 contest. The EBU split up countries with a friendly voting history into the two different semi-finals, to give a better chance to other countries to win. On 28 January 2008, the EBU held a special draw which determined that Ireland would be in the first semi-final, held on 20 May 2008.
Dana, one of the judges at Eurosong, spoke out against Dustin's entry, calling it a "mockery of the competition" and calling for Dustin and RTÉ to withdraw from the contest. The entry was also said to have been in breach of the rules of the contest, due to the mocking nature that could "bring the Shows or the ESC as such into disrepute", however, the song was not disqualified. Due to the controversial nature of his entry, Dustin received widespread publicity over his entry before and after his victory. He was mentioned in Spanish media before winning Eurosong and after his victory, Dustin appeared on This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
, a popular British morning programme on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, during Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
celebrations.
For the contest, the commentator for the semi-finals and final on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
and Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
was Marty Whelan
Marty Whelan
Martin 'Marty' Whelan is a Jacob's Award-winning Irish radio and television personality currently working for Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Frequently seen and heard on RTÉ radio and television, he has presented a variety of shows...
, while the commentator for RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Radio 1 is the principal radio channel of Irish public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann and is the direct descendant of Dublin radio station 2RN, which began broadcasting on a regular basis on 1 January 1926...
was Larry Gogan
Larry Gogan
Laurence 'Larry' Gogan is an Irish broadcaster working for Raidió Teilifís Éireann . He is a disc jockey on RTÉ 2fm. His show is The Golden Hour, during which Larry plays old favourites and classic songs from yesteryear. Gogan spun the first disc on Radio 2, Like Clockwork by The Boomtown Rats...
.
Semi-final
Elliniki Radiofonia Tileorasi
The Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation is the Greek state-owned public radio and television broadcasting corporation. It is a member of EBU.Since 70's ERT is part of the Eurovision Song Contest, organized by EBU...
(ERT) complained over the use of "Macedonia" in the lyrics of the song in light of the Macedonia naming dispute
Macedonia naming dispute
A diplomatic dispute over the use of the name Macedonia has been an ongoing issue in the bilateral relations between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia since the latter became independent from former Yugoslavia in 1991...
. The EBU reference group forced the Irish delegation to either change the lyrics of the song to "FYR Macedonia" or similar, or remove Macedonia from the lyrics altogether.
The stage show at the semi-final included Dustin in his trolley, wearing a silver suit. The trolley was dressed in green, white and gold, with the girls wearing gold dresses, green gloves and head-dresses in green, white and gold. Two of the male backing dancers wore large green, white and gold wings and danced around the stage, while the third back-up dancer wore a gold jump suit. The stage involved rippling effects of black and white, as well as waves of green, white and orange
Flag of Ireland
The national flag of Ireland is a vertical tricolour of green , white, and orange. It is also known as the Irish tricolour. The flag proportion is 1:2...
through the LCD screens on the stage. Despite being one of the favourites to win the contest outright Dustin only managed to receive 22 points, placing 15th of the 19 countries competing and failing to reach the final. He received seven points from Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, four from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, three from Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, two from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, and one from Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The highest number of points a country can award is 12.
After Eurovision
After his Eurovision experience, Dustin returned to Ireland where he launched a campaign against the Lisbon TreatyTreaty of Lisbon
The Treaty of Lisbon of 1668 was a peace treaty between Portugal and Spain, concluded at Lisbon on 13 February 1668, through the mediation of England, in which Spain recognized the sovereignty of Portugal's new ruling dynasty, the House of Braganza....
in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, calling for a 'No' vote by the Irish on the referendum for the amendment of the Irish constitution to allow the adoption of the treaty. Dustin's campaign included the slogan "They didn't vote for us. Get them back. Vote 'No' to Lisbon", referring to his failure at Eurovision.
RTÉ also announced that it was seeking a new television format for the turkey, targeting a more mature audience, but the show will not be in a chat-show format. Pilots are currently in production, however the show is not expected to be aired on RTÉ until 2009.