We want to Netta win7 at Eurovision in Israel
RTE song search despite boycott call
RTE launches its bid for Eurovision glory today – despite calls for Ireland to boycott the contest.
The national broadcaster is urging the nation’s songwriters to come up with a winning entry.
Several figures within the music industry are furious the competition is to be held in Tel Aviv’s Expo Convention Centre next year after it was won by Israeli singer Netta Barzilai.
They say RTE shouldn’t enter in protest at the Middle Eastern country’s treatment of Palestine.
But the broadcaster insisted it was going ahead with its plan.
Executive Producer and Head of Irish Delegation Michael Kealy said:
“For the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 we want to produce a world-class act that will do Ireland proud on stage in Tel Aviv and in front of a worldwide audience of nearly
200 million people.
“The Eurovision Song
Contest is incredibly competitive so we need a top-class song, with instant appeal and a highly experienced act used to performing live in front of large audiences.”
RTE confirmed it is also in talks with professionals in the music industry about possible entries. The closing date for submissions is 5pm on Friday, November 23. Britain’s Got Talent star Ryan O’shaughnessy represented Ireland in this year’s contest and came 16th with his song Together.
Last month, Eurovision commentator Marty Whelan told the Irish Mirror he believes Ireland should definitely enter the competition.
He added: “Well I’m going to the Eurovision next year, please God. I think we will go. Please God nothing untoward will occasion us not to go, but the plan at the moment is to go.
“The Eurovision is a big laugh, it’s the biggest entertainment show in the world bar none, watched by millions all over the world and that’s it.
“We did very well this year, we seem to be getting a formula going and hopefully we’ll do even better next year. It’s an entertainment programme, that’s all it is. It’s about diversity, it’s about countries coming together and people singing songs. To me it’s the simplest formula in the world. But politics is brought into everything.
“For me, it’s not about politics, it’s about the very opposite.”
Among vocal opponents of the contest in Israel is singer-songwriter Charlie Mcgettigan who won Eurovision with Rock ‘N’ Roll Kids in 1994.