Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Ireland in the
Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
Participating broadcasterRaidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ; 2010–present)
Formerly
  • Radio Éireann (RÉ; 1965–1966)
  • Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ; 1967–2009)
Participation summary
Appearances58 (46 finals)
First appearance1965
Highest placement1st: 1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996
Host1971, 1981, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997
External links
RTÉ page
Ireland's page at Eurovision.tv
For the most recent participation see
Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025

Ireland has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 58 times since its debut in 1965. Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) is the Irish broadcaster. Ireland had missed only two contests: 1983, and 2002.

Ireland's seven victories was achieved with the following songs:

  • Dana — All Kinds of Everything (1970)
  • Johnny Logan — What's Another Year (1980)
  • Johnny Logan — Hold Me Now (1987)
  • Linda Martin — Why Me? (1992)
  • Niamh Kavanagh — In Your Eyes (1993)
  • Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan — Rock 'n' Roll Kids (1994)
  • Eimear Quinn — The Voice (1996)

Participation overview

Table key
1 First place
2 Second place
3 Third place
Last place
X Entry selected but did not compete
Year Artist Song Language Final Points Semi Points
1965 Butch Moore "I'm Walking the Streets in the Rain" English 6 11 No semi-finals
1966 Dickie Rock "Come Back to Stay" English 4 14
1967 Sean Dunphy "If I Could Choose" English 2 22
1968 Pat McGeegan "Chance of a Lifetime" English 4 18
1969 Muriel Day "The Wages of Love" English 7 10
1970 Dana "All Kinds of Everything" English 1 32
1971 Angela Farrell "One Day Love" English 11 79
1972 Sandie Jones "Ceol an Ghrá" Irish 15 72
1973 Maxi "Do I Dream?" English 10 80
1974 Tina Reynolds "Cross Your Heart" English 7 11
1975 The Swarbriggs "That's What Friends Are For" English 9 68
1976 Red Hurley "When?" English 10 54
1977 The Swarbriggs Plus Two "It's Nice to Be in Love Again" English 3 119
1978 Colm C. T. Wilkinson "Born to Sing" English 5 86
1979 Cathal Dunne "Happy Man" English 5 80
1980 Johnny Logan "What's Another Year?" English 1 143
1981 Sheeba "Horoscopes" English 5 105
1982 The Duskeys "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" English 11 49
1984 Linda Martin "Terminal 3" English 2 137
1985 Maria Christian "Wait Until the Weekend Comes" English 6 91
1986 Luv Bug "You Can Count On Me" English 4 96
1987 Johnny Logan "Hold Me Now" English 1 172
1988 Jump the Gun "Take Him Home" English 8 79
1989 Kiev Connolly and the Missing Passengers "The Real Me" English 18 21
1990 Liam Reilly "Somewhere in Europe" English 2 132
1991 Kim Jackson "Could It Be That I'm in Love?" English 10 47
1992 Linda Martin "Why Me?" English 1 155
1993 Niamh Kavanagh "In Your Eyes" English 1 187 Kvalifikacija za Millstreet
1994 Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" English 1 226 No semi-finals
1995 Eddie Friel "Dreamin'" English 14 44
1996 Eimear Quinn "The Voice" English 1 162 2 198
1997 Marc Roberts "Mysterious Woman" English 2 157 No semi-finals
1998 Dawn Martin "Is Always Over Now?" English 9 64
1999 The Mullans "When You Need Me" English 17 18
2000 Eamonn Toal "Millennium of Love" English 6 92
2001 Gary O'Shaughnessy "Without Your Love" English 21 6
2003 Mickey Harte "We've Got the World" English 11 53
2004 Chris Doran "If My World Stopped Turning" English 22 7 Top 11 in 2003 contest[a]
2005 Donna and Joe "Love?" English Failed to qualify 14 53
2006 Brian Kennedy "Every Song Is a Cry for Love" English 10 93 9 79
2007 Dervish "They Can't Stop the Spring" English 24 ◁ 5 Top 10 in 2006 final[a]
2008 Dustin the Turkey "Irelande Douze Pointe" English Failed to qualify 15 22
2009 Sinéad Mulvey and Black Daisy "Et Cetera" English 11 52
2010 Niamh Kavanagh "It's for You" English 23 25 9 67
2011 Jedward "Lipstick" English 8 119 8 68
2012 Jedward "Waterline" English 19 46 6 92
2013 Ryan Dolan "Only Love Survives" English 26 ◁ 5 8 54
2014 Can-linn feat. Kasey Smith "Heartbeat" English Failed to qualify 12 35
2015 Molly Sterling "Playing with Numbers" English 12 35
2016 Nicky Byrne "Sunlight" English 15 46
2017 Brendan Murray "Dying to Try" English 13 86
2018 Ryan O'Shaughnessy "Together" English 16 136 6 179
2019 Sarah McTernan "22" English Failed to qualify 18 ◁ 16
2020 Lesley Roy "Story of My Life" English Contest cancelled[b] X
2021 Lesley Roy "Maps" English Failed to qualify 16 ◁ 20
2022 Brooke "That's Rich" English 15 47
2023 Wild Youth "We Are One" English 12 10
2024 Bambie Thug "Doomsday Blue" English 6 278 3 124
2025 Emmy "Laika Party" English Failed to qualify 13 28

Hostings

Ireland has hosted the contest seven times, six times in Dublin (1971, 1981, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1997), and one time in Milstreet (1993).

Year Location Venue Ref.
1971 Dublin Gaiety Theatre [1]
1981 RDS Simmonscourt [2]
1988 [3]
1993 Millstreet Green Glens Arena [4]
1994 Dublin Point Theatre [5]
1995 [6]
1997 [7]

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Eurovision Song Contest rules allowed the top ten non-Big Four countries and the Big Four to advance to the Grand Final without semi-finals.
  2. The 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

  1. "Dublin 1971". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  2. "Dublin 1981". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  3. "Dublin 1988". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  4. "Millstreet 1993". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  5. "Dublin 1994". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  6. "Dublin 1995". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  7. "Dublin 1997". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 29 December 2023.