Irish fans giving it loads in Latvia

THE party-hardy Irish, draped in tricolours and wearing giant Guinness hats, arrived in Latvia in full voice yesterday.

They’ve even brought a priest along, to pray that Mickey Harte will truly have the world tonight.

Kilkenny-born priest Fr Michael Connolly flew out from Dublin to pray for divine intervention.

“I’ve just come because I like the Eurovision. I have no connection whatsoever with the competition. I just wish Ireland well and wanted to come over to see the competition and enjoy the break,” he said.

Donegal catch, Mickey Harte, was taking it all in his stride as he rehearsed in the magnificent Skonto Hall, ahead of tonight’sok Eurovision song contest.

His wife Louise and children Kayleigh, 11, and Kyle, 7, arrived from Derry with 110 fans aboard a specially-chartered flight.

Mickey, 29, urged fans at home to join in the spirit of the Eurovision. “Support the contest tonight, get together and have a party with friends or go down to the pub. We’re going to party hard here and hope the fans at home do the exact same. We’re going to give it absolutely everything. There’s nothing I want more than to bring that trophy home next week,” he said.

Up to 300 supporters who made the three-hour trip to Latvia on 5am flights out of Dublin and Derry took over the five-star Radisson hotel in Riga, draping Irish flags from every balcony. Among them is an enthusiastic group of 50 from Drogheda, composer Keith Molloy’s home town.

“I had a choice of having a few hours’ sleep or getting the vocal cords ready with a few whiskeys,” Keith’s dad, Oliver, said.

“I’m hoping we’ll end up somewhere in the top five. Most of the group here which travelled has money on Mickey Harte. I’ve not got a ha’penny on him. We’re going to have a good time, whatever the result,” he said.

Nine-year-old Shauna Torsley from Sligo is the youngest of the Irish troop. Her parents, Gerry and Dolores, booked the trip for her a month ago.

All is not going well for bookies’ favourites Russian band t.A.T.u.

They were again booed off stage yesterday and are a 4/1 shot here to be disqualified for “going too far” with their raunchy on-stage antics.