If you were strong enough to resist the lure of Eurovision last saturday, well done. I wasn't. It was on in Olso after all, so how could we ignore it. I stayed up well past my usual bedtime - as did my kids - but then went wearily off to bed, when it was already tomorrow, remembering why I haven't watched the show in 20 years. Nothing against Niamh Kavanagh - she sang well, and I love the song - but clearly it wasn't to Europe's taste - I use the term loosely here - and it did dismally. As did the Norwegian entry, which had been much hyped, and expected to do well. There was even talk in the Norwegian papers over concerns abut the cost of hosting the event again next year. There was no need to worry. Norway came something like 20th out of 25.
The event itself though was a triumph for Norway and the highlight was the interval act. It was worth staying up for. Good old Norway for resisting the opportunity to promote Norwegian tourism to millions of people and instead keeping to their 'Share the Moment' theme. It really, really worked and turned what has often been a cheesy, cringe-worthy competition into a modern, well choreographed, show of unity throughout Europe. Or at least the interval part; there was plenty to cringe at during the rest of the show.
If you missed it - here's the video (probably better watched on You Tube itself). I love it. The music starts a couple of minutes in and is worth the wait. Try sit still - bet you can't ;)
A banner saying 'Hello' in Irish, one of many multi-lingual signs mounted on lamposts around Aker Brygge.
Next week the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Oslo; or if you want to be technical about it, the adjacent kommune (where we live) in Baerum. For weeks now, banners have been flying all over the place inviting people to 'Share the Moment' of Eurovision 2010. Haven't really been interested in the contest for years but this year, given our proximity to it, and the fact that we'll be living outside of Europe for the next five or six years, I'm going to stay up, watch the final, and share the moment with my kids (who have been singing the chorus of the Norwegian entry for some time).
I had thought about trying to cover the event for a newspaper in Ireland but really that would mean staying up well past my bedtime and handing my children over to social services; I'm not that ambitious. There's also the small issue of moving to the other side of the world in six weeks and the unfinished novel putting demands on my time.
Next week though I'm going along to a reception at the Irish Embassy to meet Niamh Kavanagh who is representing Ireland at Eurovision with a ballad that quite frankly gives me goosebumps. Niamh won the contest before for Ireland in 1993. She's in with a good chance this year I think. Then again what do I know? I've hardly watched the contest since 1993.
Two Irish former Eurovision Song Contest Winner's are on their way to Oslo. First off will be Johnny Logan, two-times recipient of the prize. He won for the first time 30 years ago. I remember the night very vividly considering I was only two years old at the time. Ahem. Back then, winning the Eurovision was a very large issue of national pride in Ireland. I don't know how things stand these days. Clearly back in 2008, pride wasn't a factor of any sort in choosing an act to represent the emerald isle. Oh you'd forgotten Dustin had you? Well I haven't. Here's a flashback to that nightmare. So back to Johnny. Johnny Logan is still very popular with Norwegian audiences apparently and is coming over to act as Grand Marshall for the Oslo St Patrick's Day Parade next saturday. Details here. I wish the last 30 years had been as kind to my face as they seem to have been to Johnny's.
The second Eurovision laureate booking flights to Oslo is Niamh Kavanagh. She won back in 1993 and is Ireland's 2010 entry for the competition. Here's a clip of Niamh singing the song 'It's For You.'
Back in the days of my youth when I was a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest, Ireland used to win a lot and Norway used to get null points. Well to say I'm shocked to wake up this morning and discover that Norway won this year's contest says a lot about my childhood-initiated prejudice. (Ireland didn't even get into the final this year).
The thing is that I've been singing along to this song for several months on the car radio and I absolutely love it. I just had no idea it was Norway's Eurovision's entry. It's not that the competition, including qualifying rounds, doesn't get a lot of air-time here; it does. Too much, in fact. But I've just avoided watching any of it.
So well done Alexander Rybak and collaborators. Norwegians will be very proud of you today on their national day. Gosh, even I'm feeling a little misty-eyed. Must be here too long. Or maybe it's the thought of getting to cover next year's event, assuming it's held in Oslo, for whomever I can convince to give me the job.
There was a time long ago, before Ireland became an economic success story, before we exported U2 as the greatest rock band in the world and before Riverdance made Irish dancing cool, when winning the Eurovision Song Contest was the pinnacle of Irish achievement on the international stage. Winning a contest known for its banal lyrics, garish costumes and repetitive melodies was something Irish people cared about, were proud of, and which we managed to do seven times - more than any other country - almost bankrupting the national television station which had to host the contest every time we won.
Norway on the other, I remember once, receiving a total of null points, to much guffawing from us Irish. Well how times have changed. Now the Melodi Grand Prix, as it is termed here, receives much attention form the Norwegian press, and winning the competition, it seems, is important to Norwegians, or at least Norwegian journalists. Last night, the Norwegian entrant, Maria Haukaas Storeng, got through to the final of the competition with a decent song - even by normal pop standards which are higher than Eurovision standards - and one that could win.
While back in my homeland, the Eurovision has become a joke, something to take the piss out of, and something we haven’t won since 1996. Last year we came last. And how to we respond to our dismal showings over the past few years? We send a puppet from children’s daytime television to represent us, ‘singing’ a song lamenting Ireland’s failure to win the contest lately, entitled ‘Douze Points’. The puppet is a turkey called Dustin, who has a north Dublin accent and a grating singing voice. I can’t really describe this performance so I will instead direct you to YouTube where you can enjoy it in all its tricolour glory. I have to admit having listened three times now, it’s kind of growing on me, and is sure to be a summer club hit. Listen to lyrics – they are funny!
But, the rest of Europe obviously didn’t get the joke last night and it was a case of null points, sending Dustin home, or as the rte.ie so aptly put it, ‘Dustin falls fowl of Eurovision vote’. But of course, we were only taking the piss anyway, so we don’t really care, do we?
