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RTE to review participation
Ireland to follow Monaco out?
“We will definitely be having a sit-down and looking at our geographical position and going through the whole process...Without doubt that’s going to happen. It was a long night.”
Lead singer of Irish representative, Dervish, Cathy Jordan is quoted as saying “We were really proud of them. They performed really well on the night and we were happy with the song but it just wasn’t our night...I enjoyed the experience. The performance felt really good and the feedback from home was great but it’s not what the masses, particularly in eastern Europe, want to hear.”
Ireland hold the record for the most victories in the Eurovision Song Contest, having taken the crown seven times. Johnny Logan remains the only singer to win the competition twice as a singer and the country racked up a staggering four wins in five years in the 1990s.
Irish fortunes have turned sharply since the removal of the rule stating countries must perform in their own language, and the country has struggled in recent years to reach the final of the Eurovision Song Contest.
It seems that the race may indeed on to follow Monaco's lead in withdrawing from the Eurovision Song Contest unless there is a change in the qualification process or voting procedure. The Netherlands and Malta are both reported to be considering withdrawal after poor results in the semi final this year.
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I realise the Irish entry was not sung well on the night but you can guarantee if the same band, with the same singer doing the same song had been representing Russia or Serbia they would had got a lot more than 5 points!
Its sad to think that the most successful country in Eurovision ever is thinking of pulling out of the contest. But Ireland has no chance of winning ever again under current voting system.
I repeat... Those whining about the results remind me of rich, spoiled brats, and that's exacly what they are! They can't stand the fact that someone else wins.
This is ESC after all. Not the end of the world. Stop whining and blaming others, do something more creative about it.
Most people seem to have forgotten that in the 70's and 80's, while a few countries kept scooping up points, some countries could hardly get any, and it was not a big deal for them. Finland is a very good example of that. Most countries kept sending songs, never threatened quitting the contest... And now British and Dutch politicians are discussing ESC in their parliaments and proposing quitting?!?
Maybe if you can't take losing, quitting is the better option! All this is so childish and immature...
It is pathetic.
LOL
I really hope that Ireland does withdraw and the Netherlands and Malta and the UK and France and Germany and Spain etc...
The voting now is pathetic - too many countries just vote for their neighbours. Yes, the Eastern/Balkans etc... all do it - but so do the Scandinavians. Those 'western' countries are just as guilty here.
I support any country that decides to withdraw now.
At least the UK had the honesty to give high marks to songs they genuinely liked - high marks going to Turkey, Ukraine, Sweden......
And as for Serbia? The song was overblown, dull, and simply awful. Modern? No. Great ballad? No. It was hideous and thankfully - no points from the UK.
As an Irish person I don;t think Ireland should withdraw. While I enjoyed our song this year the performance was not up to scratch. I think we should be grown up about coming last - how often has it happened to Norway and Finland? However, the voting issue needs to be addressed (and I think this is what RTE want addressed) In 2008 there are no western countries qualifying directly so if we end up with a semi final result like this year, there will be the big 4 and 20 eastern countries in the final! Somehow I think that the big 4 will come last whatever they enter while Russia could enter complete bilge and still come top 5. I'm not sure moving back to juries will solve the problem either as the eastern juries will still vote for their neighbours however it might reduce the effect of immigrant communities votes on Western countries results
what's wrong cst 03,jealous that ireland and the U.K are the two mot sucessful country's with 12 victorie's between us,
in reply,to Gary Chelsea, i was not slagging the U.k,i was only pointing out that if old countries leave,and only the big 4 of western Europe,stay what kind of competition is that,with only 4 of west Europe in it,by buying a place in the final.i live in the U.K and happen to love the country i live in.
I liked Maltese songs expext " Vertigo " - that was rewal bad and not even western & southern Europe voted it. But Ireland and the Netherland had real bad entries during the last few year. Can`t remember a good, strong or even original song from them.....so it must have been a long time since they selected some good stuff.
So yes,,,,withdraw or take a short brake. It helped Hungary, maybe it will help you too te rethink the selction process, take the ESC seriously and select stron g entries. Thanks.
You can expect others to vote weak songs just because you are from the west, that`s ridiculous.
Ireland lost the plot a bit...
When we saw Ireland on stage Saturday, my mom just said:
"What happened to Irish people? Are they crazy? Who'd vote for this one?"
Noone apparently... What has happened to strong ballads coming from Ireland? We kinda liked Dervish, they were cute but the song... Dear God!
Probably
Portugal will start a new contest with all countries than have portuguese as oficial language: Brazil, Portugal, Angola, Cape Verde, Moçambique, etc... etc...
Spain will do the same: festival OTI (only countries than have spanish as oficial language...)
Withdrawing from the esc is BAD!!! Keep trying, send better songs with stronger performances and great singers (Ones that are famous and well-known around Europe are the best choices!!!). This is very, very important so take note, especially Ireland, Malta and Netherlands, as well as any other countries thinking of withdrawing from next year's esc. High quality entries will definitely do very well. How about powerful ballards? They do the trick like Serbia and Montenegro (2004) who finished 2nd. Ireland have won with some ballads in the past. They can do it again I am sure but please, please don't withdraw. Keep trying and make your nation proud. That's what it's all about! Try to understand! Your aim should also be to stun the whole of Europe, put on an excellent stage show, making viewers vote for you in millions! You can do it! Have faith in yourself and be positive. Stop being negative! Go to the esc with your head held high. That's my advice. Good luck!
to Gaudi de somewhere else
So tell me half spanish half southern cypriot boy, how can you be double faced like this after you said for Turkish nation? I just defend my country to a person who says awful things about us!!! You showed your mentality. And you want that PKK kills every Turks. how can you admire it? Who are u? What kind of human you are?
That's normal because you have EOKA in the island and everbody knows what they did, how they killed Cypriot Turks and you admired "enosis" with Greece.That 8 points was from Cypriot Turks who live in southern part. Because both part has opened the borders to work in South in 2003.
If there is a person who needs get a life, it is only YOU!!! I cannot be nationalist like you as supporting PKK terror in my country. I think you support also ETA in Spain, and spanish people doesnt like it!!!
>Get a life Come on guys........Calm down. Why u are so >nationalist? We have passed in new millenium. Lets be friends >Cyprus is able to have more friends than Greece, France and >Austria. We are neighboors and ESC is just a song contest. I >liked ur songs but not that year. Also dont forget the 8 points >to sertab (for the first time) that instead of belgium u won ESC.
>Summer in mediteranean. Summer in sunny cypriot >beaches.Enjoy ur summer all of u.
The Irish had one of the worst performances of the night, so there's no reason to complain about their final position.
i´m very sad to hear that some contries may withdraw form esc....whats the point to have a contest with new entries like armenia, czch republic, georgia and so on...when classic entries like malta, netherlands and ireland will withdraw....esc will not be the same again....it not interesting...it felt empty when austria didint participated last year...i dont want to know how i will fell if netherlands, ireland and malta withdraws...i wonder if mr stockselious idea was to let as many new countries to participate in the contest as possible so some of the old participents to withdraw..?
Well the best song won and the Irish, British and Maltese songs were awful. It's pretty simple really. Neighbourly voting didn't do much for Croatia because the song was dire. It's pretty amusing that only Albania voted for Ireland. They must be the only ones who haven't seen a tin whisle.
I thought I noticed a couple of "singers" were not really singing - a couple of times I thought playback was used, especially Belarus and Romania, but maybe I'm wrong. Did anyone else think that?
I don't think Malta will realy withdraw!!- We are not Italians in ESC !!
ireland got 5 from albania.........because it was a back up jury....... televoting didnt work or not enough people voted in albania so they used a jury. So thats why we got 5........ and spain got 12. you see the back up juries are fairand do not just vote for their neighbours
Can anyone remember Russia's entry in 2004 - Julia Savicheva with Believe Me? That was totally out of tune through the ENTIRE song and yet she still managed to get into the top ten. So those of you who are saying it's not about western vs eastern Europe you are totally wrong. CHeck the song out on youtube if you don't believe me. I am from Ireland and I admit that Cathy from Dervish did sing out of tune in 3 or 4 parts of the song but not through the whole song. What I dont understand is how Ireland came last yet we got the best reaction from the audience in the Hartwell arena that night, even better than Ukraine and Serbia! I thought Europeans adore celtic music! To the EBU: WAKE UP! Isnt it obvoius that the tele voting is whats causing the block voting thats been complained about for the past 9 years? And why have you continued with the first 7 points on screen and only the top 3 announed? That makes the results a lot LOT less interesting.
I've got an idea !
Since Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia all get on so well and like each others
music...maybe they could join together and enter one song as
Yugoslavia.
And Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia,
Belarus, Moldova and Russia could enter one song as the Soviet Union....then we would only need to worry about the Scandanavian countries voting for themselves....just like the good old days of Eurovision...oh and Greece & Cyprus...I nearly forgot !
unless its east v west in two semis.............all the west should get out....im an ardent fan of nearly 20 odd years-starting to hate the contest because of the voting.
I haven't heard about Paul De Leuw before.
they have to accept that only one will win.Ireland WAS bad and unproper this year.I accept the netherlands withdrawal but they don't put effort on esc but not MALTA!Every year from 1991 was ending in the TOP 10.It's just two bad years and THEY HAVE to ACCEPT that.Semi was very tight and the best passed.Malta was not among them,I'm sorry!
Would be a shame to say goodbye to Ireland, They have had some good entrys although i diddnt like this years entry, Sorry ireland! 
WE LOVE YOU IN THE UK, I think the only neighbourly voting in the western side only goes on between ireland and uk and that doesent always happen since uk diddnt give ireland any! Although i wish we did!
To all my Turkish friends
Get a life Come on guys........Calm down. Why u are so nationalist? We have passed in new millenium. Lets be friends Cyprus is able to have more friends than Greece, France and Austria. We are neighboors and ESC is just a song contest. I liked ur songs but not that year. Also dont forget the 8 points to sertab (for the first time) that instead of belgium u won ESC.
Summer in mediteranean. Summer in sunny cypriot beaches.Enjoy ur summer all of u.
The first country to really consider withdrawing is Ireland who have won 7 times and came in top 10 last year???? Wawah boohoo
i think it would be really bad if we withdrew. what needs to be done is rte have to go scouting for good acts e.g. U2, the corrs or a b*witched reunion possibly. Enter the competition in 2008 and while all eastern copuntries are exchanging their 12 points ireland would sneak by picking up 7 8 and 10s and then we will return the crown back to where it belong's. Also those who are saying good riddance, at least rte pay's it's way and always won without ever having to accept payment from the EBU. I really hate these 10 minute old countries with gnp's similar to the change i have in my back pocket
I was so shocked that Ireland got last- they only received five points from Albania!
It was a very lyrical song with a message and the Irish folk music suited it perfectly!
Maybe it's a little exaggerated to withdraw immediately but it's quite clear that the voting system cannot remain the same!
I, for my part, won't vote ever again in such a system!
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