Eurovision Song Contest
Kansas City, on the night that the American Idol finale with David Cook airs in Ireland, our television screens are full of a public voting contest of songs that is kinda a bigger deal for us.
It’s the thing that gave you Riverdance, Abba, and so much more God love us.
Right now we’re on song #19 of the 25 in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, and I’ve no idea who’s likely to win.
The last 7 Eurovisions have all produced wins for the first time for their respective countries.
From the top of my head I wouldn’t be surprised to see the winner come from Armenia, the UK, Romania, Iceland, Albania, Denmark, Greece or the much better than it looks - and it looks like classic Eurovision - Bosnia & Herzegovina. You’ll notice that’s a bit like saying you wouldn’t be surprised if the winning number on a roulette turn is red.
I am ruling out Turkey though, the country that is and not Ireland’s entry which didn’t make it out of the semi-final, and I’m also ruling out Finland who dare to tell us the same Heavy Metal joke just 2 years after winning it the 1st time they told it to us.
The boring Croatia are out, as are the Latvian pirates and the 1970s Portugal entry, and the French entry too good for its own good. But would I rule out the German version of Girls Aloud?
And I suppose I should add Poland’s sweeping ballad as having a chance of winning given their sweeping patterns of emigration and therefore ability to vote for themselves. Serbia actually might well be the best again this year though I can’t see it winning.
[ UPDATE @ 1 minute left of voting: Heck, I’ll tip Bosnia]
Anyway most of what I’ve had to say before, including references to Ireland’s entrants from the storied histories of its entertainment halls, I’ll list below for your benefit, yes your benefit, rather than go over again:
• Eurovision Online But No Bagatelle for KC
• Eurovision 2006 Preview
• Eurovision Voting: A Preferable Way Than A World War to Learn Geography
• Shay Healy, Eurovision Winner, Rips Off Eddie Delahunt
• That Eurovision in Ireland: The Birth of Riverdance
• Video of 1979 Ireland Entry, 27 Years Before Performing in KC
• Anúna, The Forgotten Riverdance Element
• Happy Man Lyrics (© Cathal Dunne)
• Irish Choral Music & Celtic Underpants
• The Legacy of Hosting Eurovision on the Ryder Cup in Ireland
• David Shaughnessy
• Watching Eurovision with my Son in Kansas City
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