Johnny Logan to Graham Norton: Five moments from the Eurovision we're talking about
Sweden entrant Loreen with the trophy after winning the Eurovision in Liverpool. Picture: Aaron Chown/PA Wire
We can’t talk about Sweden’s win without mentioning our own record and that of Johnny Logan. Ireland won the Eurovision seven times, the last time being in 1996. Johnny Logan won twice — once in 1980 and again in 1987.
Loreen’s win — aided by 12 points from the Irish jury — means both of those records are now matched, with her success sealing Sweden’s seventh win and her own second win, after she claimed the top spot with Euphoria in 2012.
Ireland has not qualified for the Eurovision final in five years and has not won the contest since 1996 but remains the only country to have won three times consecutively. However since the semi-final round was introduced in 2004, Ireland has missed out on a spot in the final 11 times, and has finished last in the final twice, in 2007 and 2013. The only time Ireland placed in the top 10 in since 2007 is Jedward's eighth place in 2011.
It begs the question: can we reclaim our Eurovision glory days?
Cork’s own Graham Norton, a familiar voice as the BBC’s commentator during the Eurovision, made his way centre stage for a change to greet Europe on Saturday night. Norton shared his voiceover role with Mel Giedroyc and spent the evening running back and forth, alternating between his usual gig as the voice of the UK’s coverage and appearing on stage for some elements of the presenting side.
He was side-by-side with Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham as the results were shared from both the juries and the public vote, and he squeezed both some Irish Eurovision references and the cúpla focal into the mix, mentioning Johnny Logan and thanking Niamh Kavanagh as gaeilge for her contribution with the jury vote results from Dublin.
There was a lot of grá in Liverpool for Ireland’s Eurovision legend Johnny Logan. After a few unsurprising mentions from Graham Norton, the What’s Another Year singer was named as a defining Eurovision memory by the UK’s Catherine Tate ahead of her delivering the country’s jury vote: “I have been hooked on Eurovision ever since I was a little girl and in 1980 I watched Johnny Logan win,” she said, adding: “Oh Johnny, Johnny — you had me at ‘What’s Another Year’.”
Croatia’s entry Let 3 had social media in a tailspin with their performance of their anti-war song Mama ŠČ. The group, who appeared on stage in military attire, stripped down to their underwear during their segment and sparked huge chat on Twitter, including people wondering how to explain it to anyone unfamiliar with the Eurovision. The group came in seventh place after earning 112 points from the audience on top of the jury vote, highlighting the differences in the two voting systems.
Ahead of the vote closing, some former Eurovision contestants in Liverpool and Ukraine came together for an emotional performance of You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Following performances from stars like Mahmood from Italy, Israel’s Netta, Iceland’s Dadi Freyr and Merseyside’s own Sonia, who competed in Eurovision in 1993, Dutch singer Duncan Laurence performed Liverpool FC anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone as the crowd waved flags in the air.
He was joined on stage by hosts and performers, while Ukrainian winner Ruslana was shown on the steps of the Golden Gate in Kyiv singing along, joined by people waving the country’s national flag.
An audience member was shown in tears as the emotional performance concluded and host Graham Norton said: “A tear in my silly old eye. You don’t see that every day.”
