Dustin's Eurovision bid ends in failure

Dustin the Turkey tonight failed to get Ireland through to the 53rd Eurovision Song Contest final.

Dustin the Turkey fell fowl of the public voting system and didn’t make it into the top 10 in the first semi-final of the contest, held this year in Belgrade.

The cult figure’s 'Douze Pointe' song failed to impress audiences despite the nation’s record of winning the competition seven times.

It is only the third time in 43 years that Ireland will not be represented in the final.

The countries that got through tonight were: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Greece, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Finland, Russia, Israel, Poland and Norway.

RTE’s Eurovision commentator Marty Whelan said: “What a disappointment for the Irish team.”

He added: “It never occurred to me in the back of my mind that we wouldn’t actually do it.

“But such are the vagaries of the Eurovision Song Contest. We do our best but you don’t know. The thing about this competition is you don’t know.”

Dustin the Turkey has previously recorded six albums and performed a host of comical duets with artists such as Bob Geldof, Chris De Burgh, Ronnie Drew, Dervla Kirwan and the late Joe Dolan.

His latest track was composed by Darren Smith and Simon Fine, who previously collaborated on Crazy Turkey from Dustin’s best-selling album Bling When Your Minging.

But after a number of years in the wilderness, Dustin decided to return to the recording studio in an effort to restore his nation’s position as the High Kings Of Eurovision.

Ireland’s glorious history in the Eurovision has taken a battering in recent years.

Despite winning the Eurovision a record seven times – in 1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996 – it was third last in 2004, failed to qualify in 2005, and, although Brian Kennedy was placed in the top 10 in 2006, the trad group Dervish came last last year.

This year, RTE changed the rules and almost 200 entries from songwriters in and outside of Ireland were received by a judging panel, chaired by television producer Bill Hughes.

Six songs were chosen by the team to perform on live television, with Dustin winning the public vote.