ESCIreland.com would like to extend its condolences to Gerry Ryan’s friends, family and colleagues in RTÉ on the untimely death of a formidable radio and television broadcaster.

Gerry Ryan co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 with Cynthia Ní Mhurchú in the Point Theatre in Dublin. This was the year Ireland won a third consecutive win with “Rock n’ Roll Kids” and Bill Whelan’s “Riverdance” was first presented to the world.

Gerry Ryan will be greatly missed for his unique presenting style and take on modern Irish life.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Gone on Hera ya good thing!

We are holding a competition where you can win the Official DVD and CD for 2010. All you need to do is simply reply to the link below, or leave a comment (as an e-mail address is required to leave one) and simply say who you think will be this years winner and runner up! 1st and second place. The closest person will win the first prize and so on. In case of a tie then names will be chosen fabulously from a hat! And don’t worry we will post them out to you too Closing date is May 24th.

First prize is a both DVD and CD

Second Prize is a DVD

Third is the CD

You can listen to all the songs here or at www.youtube.com/eurovision

Like we said either leave your comment below or leave a comment here in the contact us form.

Remember if you’re not in you can’t win

Choreographed by JaQuel Knight who is responsible for the clip of Beyoncé’s song Single ladies.

You can view it here!

‘Ik Ben Verliefd (Sha-La-Lie)’

I had heard there was widespread discontent about this song well before I heard it with my own ears. I was fully expecting to dislike it (despite me having a strange ability to love most Eurovision songs!) but when I first heard it I was instantly smitten. It’s one of the most feel-good tunes of recent years. Perfect euro-shlager!

The singer is 18 year old Sieneke and she brings such an innocent vibe to the whole thing. In the national final she finished tied in first place; the song-writer himself then decided Sieneke would be his preferred choice. The song-writer is none other than Pierre Kartner, who wrote the uber-catchy ‘Smurf Song’ in 1978.

The song has proved a huge hit in its native land. It is the first ever Dutch Eurovision entry to top the national charts. When I was in Amsterdam in February I heard it played in a couple of bars! It never failed to get people swaying and ‘sha-la-la-ing’.

I grant you it is a song that divides opinion. Many people see it as childish and overly simplistic. I can see where they are coming from but I think those people are being far too cynical and jaundiced and have lost all sense of gleeful fun. The 200/1 that Paddy Power are offering is an insult!!

Why I love this song:

- it’s got an incredible sense of fun and joyfulness. You can’t help smile and join in when you listen to it.

- Sieneke is a talented young singer who brings a lovely quality to the track.

- the street organ and circus feel to the song make it stand out from the crowd this year.

- it’s a song that appeals to a very wide audience, old and young alike. In these rather depressed times we all deserve a feel-good song like this.

I really, really hope that this song at least qualifies for the final. The Netherlands have had a poor record recently (Hind was robbed!!) and it would be nice to see this delightful and happy song do well .

Just received from RTE! Don’t forget that you can learn the dance here. In 4 easy steps!

RTÉ Television

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST WANTS PARTICIPANTS TO TAKE PART IN A FLASH MOB

Do you love to dance? Would you like to take part in a unique event which will be aired on television during this year’s Eurovision Song Contest? Then listen up!

Next Thursday May 6^th at 8:30pm RTÉ, Dance Ireland and the Norwegian broadcaster NRK will be staging a flashmob event in Meeting House Square, Temple Bar.

This years Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) interval act is a ‘flashmob’, where people from across the continent will do a dance routine to the same track. The motto for the ESC this year is Share the Moment! We want to share it with you and get the Irish public involved.

The dance will be led by the cast of RTÉ series Fame The Musical and professional dancers from Dance Ireland. Behind them members of the public are invited to join in. Dance instructions will be given by a Norwegian choreographer. You don’t need to be an amazing dancer – if you can move a leg or an arm- or even just your head – you’re welcome to come along!

Fame the Musical judge and star of the original Fame tv series Erica Gimpel says, “Whether you’re young or old, whatever your level of fitness or coordination we’d love to see you down at Meeting House Square next Thursday night. Get a gang of friends together or bring your family or work colleagues along. The 10 remaining contestants from Fame the Musical will be on hand to help you perfect the dance moves in the routine. We want to see you twist, turn, shake, jump and clap – it promises to be a fun filled night with lots of laughs.”

Events are being recorded in London, Ljubljana, Dusseldorf and Dublin (plus a few more cities yet to be revealed), and will be used as part of the spectacular centrepiece of the Song Contest Final on the 29th of May in front of an audience of over 120 million people.

Meeting time: 20.30, rehearsals for the dance will begin at 20.30

Shooting: 21.30 – 22.45

Remember: Please wear colourful clothes, comfortable shoes and bring a bottle of water with you. Any signs or explicit branding will not be accepted in the images (excluding normal design/logos on t-shirt and clothes that people ordinarily would wear) Come share this extraordinary event with us.

Both Maria (Norway ’08) and Måns (Melodifestivalen contestant and host) have teamed up to make a new song called ”Precious To Me”. It’s pretty good.

Since we had some Niamh on here Currently she is in the middle of her tour of Europe. At the moment she is in Belgium and at the weekend she will take part in the UK preview party. Go on ya good thing!

In usual Swedish style they have gone all out and have produced a series of programmes for the Eurovision, with Lena Ph as a panellist too amongst other MF contestants too a set of 4 preview programmes will be shown over the next month.

The first is here on SVT. The video for Part one will be available until May 18th.