When Eurovision came calling
WITH EUROVISION CANCELLED THIS WEEKEND DUE TO C-19, JOHN TARRANT LOOKS BACK AT A MAGICAL WEEK IN 1993
NO competition yet there is a strong Eurovision theme on the TV screens this Saturday night that recalls the past and would be contenders for the 2020 title.
It all kicks off with ‘Marty’s Magic Eurovision Moments’, hosted by the country’s long time commentator Marty Whelan, featuring all of his own hand-picked moments from the entire history of Eurovision in addition to those submitted by viewers.
Ireland’s wonderful victory from 1993 is sure to feature, one that climaxed a week to remember for Millstreet and outright winner Niamh Kavanagh.
An estimated audience of one billion watched Ireland snatch outright victory from the hands of the United Kingdom. That was the icing on the cake for Noel C Duggan’s dream of staging the Eurovision Song Contest in the Green Glens International Complex and it came true with lavish style.
One of the amazing sights to greet the worldwide audience was a spectacular set, a credit to RTE who poured £2.2m worth of expertise and technology into the project.
It all began 12 months earlier, on May 9 in 1992, with Linda Martin winning the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland with her offering ‘ Why Me’.
Before completing her encore on the Malmo stage, Noel C Duggan’s far seeing vision had laid out his stall for one of the extraordinary coups on sketching his initial draft on the back of an envelope in an application to bring the 1993 Eurovision to Millstreet.
The rest is history, Niamh Kavanagh’s dramatic late rally required a maximum 12 points from the Malta jury to sensationally deny the United Kingdom. That set the night for rapturous celebrations in Millstreet, Taoiseach Albert Reynolds leaping to his feet to congratulate Noel D Duggan as the 3,000 strong attendance burst into a chorus of Óle, Óle following Niamh Kavanagh’s win with the song ‘ In Your Eyes’.
The champagne corks rightly popped, not just celebrating Ireland’s triumph but also toasting Millstreet’s accomplishment and achievement of excellence to cap a fairytale success story.
Once securing the position to host Eurovision, Milllstreet underwent a transformation to ultimately become the capital of the universe. It took all of six months to improve the infrastructure of the town and prepare for one of the world’s largest entertainment events.
In the lead up to the 1993 Eurovision, the magnificent Green Glens Arena met with all the specifications required. No supporting pillars that would interrupt viewing, the venue equipped with lighting made it ideal for a television presentation.
The sense of pride and joy in the area to be granted Eurovision hosts came from a knowledge that the anonymity of the north Cork town would be gone as greetings from all over Europe would make it famous.
Behind the scenes, local groups and individuals harnessed their energies and experience to focus on the mammoth staging applauded by current Community Council Chairman Noel Buckley.
“All organisations got involved, the Community Council headed by Dr. Michael Feeley co-ordinated a steering group and sub committees. It took huge work but it all proved worthwhile and ultimately some occasion emerged,” said Noel.
Co-ordinating the workings of eight sub committees in the steering group was Chairman Dr. Feeley and Secretary Ken Brennan with Ray Cawley filling the position of co-ordinator.
The jigsaw in terms of preparation was headquartered at the Euro Bureau sited in the Town Square to process public and media enquiries. Elsewhere, groups focused on finance, publicity, accommodation, entertainment, tidy towns, car parking and security, linguists and county council liason.
Business and dwellers got into the spirit of Eurovision with the colours of participating countries ensuring a mardi gras atmosphere for Eurovision week that brought thousands into the town to sample the atmosphere and attend concerts, fashion shows, Eurovision dress rehearsals, fringe events and outdoor entertainment.
On Eurovision Night, the Green Glens became the world’s largest TV studio. It involved 60 miles of cabling, 11 cameras beamed the pictures to Dublin and transferred to a satellite over the African equator to rebeam the action to Europe.
A throng of 3,000 created a memorable atmosphere in the Green Glens in the company of a 600 press corp. Taking up their seats included VIPS of 1993 Ireland from then Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, Ministers
Michael D Higgins, Charlie McCreevey, Maire Geoghan Quinn, Joe Walsh, FG leader John Bruton to former Taoiseach Jack Lynch.
Other, luminaries sampling a wonderful occasion were Terry Wogan, Pat Kenny, Joe Duffy, Gerry Ryan, Dave Fanning, Larry Gogan, Marty Whelan, Marian Finucane, Johnny Logan and Linda Martin.