Ireland
The basics Full country name Republic of Ireland Capital Dublin Facts First participation 1965 (Butch Moore) Victories 1970 (Dana) 1993 (Niamh Kavanagh) 1980 (Johnny Logan) 1987 (Johnny Logan) 1992 (Linda Martin) 1994 (Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan) 1996 (Eimear Quinn) Hosts Dublin 1971 Dublin 1981 Dublin 1988 Millstreet 1993 Dublin 1994 Dublin 1995 Dublin 1997
Ireland first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965. The country famously won four out of five contests in the 1990s and became the first country to win three times in a row. Ireland has won the Eurovision Song Contest a record seven times in total.
Ireland made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965, finishing sixth with the song Walking The Streets In The Rain which was performed by Butch Moore. Ireland got off to a strong start in the contest and scored its first victory in 1970 with Dana and All Kinds of Everything (#7 in our Irish Top 10). Dana later turned the song into a hit all over Europe, and enjoyed a successful singing career in the 1970s before embarking on a career in politics.
Johnny Logan became Ireland's second Eurovision winner with What's Another Year? in 1980 before going on repeat this success in 1987 with Hold Me Now. Logan became the only singer to win the contest twice as a singer, a record he still holds.
The 1990s were Ireland’s golden era in the Eurovision Song Contest, where the country won the competition four times in five years, a record no country has come close to beating since.
Since its debut Ireland has only missed the contest twice, in 1983 and 2002.
