Ireland has experienced a slip in Eurovision success since their historic wins, with hopes for recovery sparked by Bambie Thug's sixth-place finish in 2024. However, the country failed to qualify again, raising concerns about its Eurovision future. Michael Kealy, who has led the Irish delegation since 2013, believes in the potential for success with the right artist and song. He acknowledges past failures, including Wild Youth's inability to qualify in 2023, and suggests a need for change in the selection process to improve outcomes.
"I always thought we were only one great artist and one great song away from a good result," he said, praising the 'powerful team' and 'clear idea' that Bambie had.
"It is not that we [RTÃ] have had a different attitude to the contest, it's not. [It's because] a great artist comes out of nowhere... and has a vision that connects with people."
"Band Wild Youth did not crack the code to qualification in Liverpool, with their song We Are One not making it past the semi-final."
"Where did it all go wrong for the country that once won the contest three times in a row - and will we ever again manage to merely qualify three times in a row?"
Collection
[
|
...
]