RTÉ dumps Eurovision contender for breach of competition rules

THIS year’s Eurovision song selection has been made all the easier following the ejection of one of four entries from the competition.

The Late Late Show-Eurosong 2006 programme this coming Friday will showcase just three of the four songs selected for the competition following the discovery that one number was previously released as a single.

Strong Enough, a song by Barry Walsh, one of the four finalists announced, had been published previously, which is in direct contravention of Eurosong and Eurovision rules.

The writer of the dumped song has argued that his composition should have been allowed to remain in the competition.

Brian Kennedy, who has already been chosen to sing the winning entry, entered his own composition, called Every Song Is a Cry for Love, which is now pitted against The Greatest Song of All, written by Jimmy McCarthy, and Don Mescall’s All Over the World.

Yesterday, Mr Walsh insisted the negligible amount of exposure the song received by being released on an obscure charity recording in Donegal meant it should have been allowed to continue in the competition.

“I think people deserve to hear that song. I think that song should be in on Friday night,” said Mr Walsh.

“I think people would really see it as being something that would have a very good chance of winning and I think that it would represent Ireland very well.

“From my point of view, I’m disappointed but I’m even more disappointed for my wife, my three children, my family and friends in Cavan and Trim.

“I think that it was nice for them to share this achievement and I think that it’s just a mere technicality that we’re not in there,” he said.

Mr Walsh said he wanted people to hear his song and he hoped it could be released in the future.

“At the end of the day, I’m a songwriter and that song stands on its own merits,” he told Joe Duffy on RTÉ Radio yesterday.

RTÉ, in an official statement, said: “RTÉ Television has learnt today that one of the final four songs selected for The Late Late Show-Eurosong 2006 this Friday night will be ineligible for the competition, under Eurosong and Eurovision rules.

“Barry Walsh, the composer of Strong Enough, informed RTÉ Television today that his song was published previously, which is in breach of Eurosong and Eurovision rules.

“RTÉ will therefore be offering three songs for public consideration on the Late Late Show-Eurosong 2006 on Friday evening at 9.30pm on RTÉ One.”