John Lydon: I wanted to be absolutely poignant about the catastrophe my wife is going through

Fri, 03 Feb, 2023 - 22:14

Nicole Glennon

Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has said his Cork mother and Galway father would be "ever so chuffed" that he is in the running to represent Ireland at Eurovision 2023.

"In many ways, they're with me right now," he said ahead of his performance with Public Image Limited (PIL) on The Late Late Eurosong Special, where the nation's entry will be chosen by a combination of votes awarded by the public, an international jury and a national jury.

Lydon, who is the son of Eileen Barry from Carrigrohane near Ballincollig in Cork, became emotional when speaking about his band Public Image Limited's entry, 'Hawaii', which is dedicated to his wife of nearly five decades, Nora, who is living with Alzheimer’s disease.

"I wrote a song that I wanted to be absolutely poignant about the catastrophe my wife is going through," he said.

"I think I've succeeded, I'm not sure. But here we are now with a larger audience to share that with us."

Lydon, who is his wife Nora's carer, said the disease was "debilitating".

"It is the saddest thing of all to watch the slow, slow deterioration and demise of someone you have loved for 45 years."

"It’s very, very tearjerking for me to even talk about it… I’m even shaking now thinking about it because it means the world to me. These are the last few years of coherence together and I miss her like mad, my only communication with her is at the moment in iPad. It’s lovely to talk to her that way.”

Asked whether he was feeling nervous about performing the song, the Irish passport holder said he was "terrified".

"Terrified of mugging it up, getting it wrong, letting people down. Mostly letting Nora down."

Connolly is another competitor in the The Late Late Eurosong. Picture: Andres Poveda

Also competing to represent Ireland in Liverpool this May is music student Jennifer Connolly, whose song Midnight Summer Night is bookies' favourite.

"It's all my mom," she says, when asked what pushed her to throw her hat in the ring.

"She was like 'your song sounds Eurovisiony'... I'd never thought about applying, I've always been a big fan of the show, and I just looked it up and applied... "

Connolly, who has just turned 19, said tonight's performance on The Late Late Show will be her first proper gig.

"I've never really performed," she told shocked reporters, "at the odd family wedding and stuff but never a proper gig."

The IADT student from Leitir Meailláin said she was "very" surprised to find out she was favourite to win and admitted she's feeling the pressure - but is excited too.

"I think Eurovision, the past few years, it's starting to become pretty cool again," she said.

"The competition is getting better and better each year. I think people are starting to take it seriously and use it as a proper platform again, which is cool."

Ryan Tubridy, Marty Whelan, and the competing acts on The Late Late Eurosong: Wild Youth, Leila Jane, Adgy, Connoly, Public Image Limited and K Muni & ND. Picture: Andres Poveda

The other acts competing include ADGY with Too Good for your Love, Wild Youth with We are One, Leila Jane with Wild and K Muni & ND with Down in the Rain.