Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Now as Ireland has withdrawn from Eurovision song contest at least in 2026, let's have a look of some Irish favorites of mine over the year. Among them quite a few winners as usually Ireland has won with their best efforts. My favorite of them all is however a  completely forgotten runner up, Mysterious woman.  Enjoy! 1980 Johnny Logan - What's another year (1st) 1981 Sheeba - Horoscopes (5th) 1993 Niamh Kavanagh - In your eyes (1st) 1986 Luv Bug - You can count on me (4th) 1997 Marc Roberts - Mysterious woman (2nd) 1984 Linda Martin - Terminal 3 (2nd) 2018 Ryan O'Shaughnessy - Togerher (16th) Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan - Rock'n'roll kids (1st) 1987 Johnny Logan - Hold me now (1st) There would have been quite a few to pick up as well but these sounded the ones at this time and space.  Special mentions go to: 2013 Ryan Dolan - Only love survives (26th) 1965 Butch Moore - I'm walking the streets in the rain (6th) 1991 Kim Jackson - Could it be that I...

Ireland's Eurovision hope last year, Ryan Dolan has since come out and it seems he's one of those artists who can't stop coming out over and over again in his music and videos. His Eurovision 2013 performance of Only love survives was one of the gayest ever (propably unintentionally), the follow up single Start again was a sort of coming out story dealing with bullying, acceptance and suicides. In this new one, Fall to the floor he is dealing with gay relationship and break up. Like his previous songs it's nice. The boy can sing for sure, the song is a good pop song and after a few listenings it actually sounds very nice indeed. Ryan is about to release his debut album this summer and it looks like it's going to be a pretty poptastic one.

Valentina Monetta will be joining the cast of Stockholm Pride that includes already likes of Gina G, Krista Siegfrids, Roberto Bellarossa, Margaret Berger, Sean Banan, Lys Assia, Ryan Dolan, Janet Leon, Anton Ewald and reigning Eurovision Queen Emmelie De Forest . Valentina will perform there on August 1, 2013. What a better way to return to Sweden and shower in the adoration of fans before doing it for the third time next May in Denmark? Besides, her album Crisalide - la storia di Valentina Monetta is now also available in physical CD form. Pre-listen and order here .

Belarus had invited most everyone to their Planet Solayoh and party were promotional items were brought in in industrial quantity; chocolates and biscuits and all you can get! A buffet and drinks were avalable, too, and many artists showed up. Here are the Red Wall photos: Ryan Dolan and Natália Kelly were having a cozy time..... Serbian girls looked stunning in flashlights.... Esma and Lozano were holding court... And it's Ryan Dolan again. Will he bring the trophy back to Ireland? Coming up next..... the performances!

And here comes the last lot: IRELAND - Ryan Dolan - Only love survives Ireland may be the surprise of this season as their song is gaining fans day by day. The act on stage really works and even if filled with some Eurovision clichées in some strange it works and looks fresh. The drummer boys with bodypaint drum their thing on the catwalk in the beginning, then join the others on stage and keep banging and jumping and waving their hands in perfect harmony with Ryan, who is in top form. This is old and new, heard and unheard in one package. Everything works. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the shock winner of this edition, stranger things has happened over the years. But maybe not. This number works best when it is also seen, listening only isn't that strong (so the total contrast of Serbia but more of that in a bit...) CYPRUS - Despina Olympiou - An me thimasai She's alone in the blue lit simple stage, singing her beautiful ballad in a sexy dress. Class. ...

I previously posted a muscle bulging comparison of Irish Ryan Dolan vs Azeri Farid Mammadov. Georgian Nodi Tatishvili doesn't want to be left any worse and here he is in his glory! What he lacks in muscles maybe he's got in other departments! Enjoy! And this is as good an excuse as any to listen all these three fine songs again: Gerogia , Ireland , Azerbaijan As a bonus here's Sweden 's Robin Stjernberg in bath.... with a friend.... Let the ESC 2013 begin!

So to speak. Both have been singing their entries on national TV and most likely giving us a hint how it'll look in Malmö 2013 Eurovision shortly. Ryan Dolan did The Late Late Show again and the act seems pretty much the same as it always was, only more rehearsed and polished perhaps. Here . Bonnie Tyler was visitng Graham Norton and gave us a first real look to the song and it's changing. No surprises here either, not that she needs them. She has said she won't be wearing leather for Eurovision so that'll be the big change then! Sounds good, looks a bit awkward with all that waving around but then... that's just who Bonnie is! Watch it here . Also for the interview and laughs!

Azerbaijan's Farid Mammadov has been already showing his muscles all over the place but now Ireland's Ryan Dolan strips off his shirt in Twitter and enters the competition of Mr Eurovision 2013.... Who do you prefer in that specific area?

Sweden - Robin Stjernberg - You Robin did the same that Krista did in Finland: beating the favorites and conquering performance by performance and winning in the end and coming from the Second Chance round. And partly for the same reasons besides the song; open friendly likable personality and energy to envy. You isn't the easiest song on earth nor the catchiest, but it works, even as this fantastic acoustic version.  The show factor will be tuned down for ESC and it'll be all about Robin and his vocals. If he nails it the big night, he might end up very high in the scoreboard following rather the suit of Roger Pontare than Christer Björkman. If he fails, well.... it might be rather nightmarish to listen to... But I trust he delivers on May 18.... Belgium - Roberto Bellarosa - Love kills The fans slaughtered this song ever since it was selected, not concidering the fact that the Belgian "final" was done with demos, flu effected voice at 10am on Sunday bru...

Tonight the most victorious country in the Eurovision history will selects its entrant. Orphans of Jedward this year the competition is open to everyone involved even if the system and procedure is the same as previous years with mentors and song out already for a couple of weeks. Regional juries, five of them, and televoters will pick up the winner 50-50. Curiously Ireland is flirting with Turkish music the year Turkey is absent....?! It's also my least favorite of these so propably it wins seeing how my predictions go this year... :-) I do have one clear favorite though, but won't say it alound for the same reason ;-p And Lordi will be as guest stars! 22.30 at eurovision.tv Inchequin - Son kez Aimée Fitzpatrick - Crashing down Zoe Alexis Bohorquez - Fire Ryan Dolan - Only love survives Kasey - Kiss me

RTÈ has announced the acts for this year's national selection. It's the old recipe with the mentors and singers. Jedward is not taking part this year so someone else will win. The songs will be made public tomorrow. The singerssongs and mentors are: Kasey - Kiss me there (mentor: Mairead Farell) Inchequin - Son kez (The last time) (mentor: Shay Healy) Aimée Fitzpatrick - Crashing down (mentor: Mark McCabe) Zoe Alexis Bohorquez - Fire (mentor: Niall Mooney) Ryan Dolan - Only love survives (mentor: Stuart O'Connor)