Semi Final 1: Live Blog

Join in the fun from Oslo and let us know what your thinking as it happens! Join in on twitter with hastag #escsf

• 3:23 PM: Stephen Spillane so its nearly time!!! we will be announcing the results of the ESCIreland predictions will be published soon!
• 3:31 PM: Stephen Spillane ESCIreland.com’s coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest will start at 7:30pm (ish!) on Tuesday 25th.
• 3:40 PM: Alan Alexander Rybak is not coming across well.
• 3:45 PM: Stephen Spillane The prediction has been made for semi-final one! will it be right? www.escireland.com
• 3:51 PM: Alan I’m getting butterflies, and not in the Belarussian way. It’s not even Niamh’s semi final. What am I like?!?
• 3:52 PM: Stephen Spillane @Alan ahh alan, it is exciting! i dont blame you! It is the greatest show on earth as they say every year!!
• 3:54 PM: Stephen Spillane Here is the line up for tonights semi-final en.wikipedia.org
• 3:54 PM: Stephen Spillane Germany, France and Spain will also be voting tonight.
• 3:57 PM: Alan @Stephen, I too have the wikipedia page open to make sure I know the order of appearance. Great minds!
• 3:58 PM: Stephen Spillane @Alan hahaha so it is!
• 4:00 PM: Stephen Spillane and so it has begun! Te deum has been just played!
• 4:01 PM: Stephen Spillane Niamh is helping with the commentating!!!!!!!!!
• 4:01 PM: Alan Ahh Niamh’s on with Marty. Interesting.
• 4:03 PM: Alan flat seating…eek better views on the telly i think!
• 4:04 PM: Stephen Spillane will voting from the start make a difference?
• 4:05 PM: Stephen Spillane so the voting has begun and Moldova is starting the show.
• 4:05 PM: Alan hope her vocal is good
• 4:06 PM: Stephen Spillane I like the floating screens
• 4:06 PM: Stephen Spillane the first violin of the night! and she is off key…..
• 4:06 PM: Alan he’s not playing that
• 4:07 PM: Stephen Spillane @Alan nope, but the dancers are hot!
• 4:07 PM: Stephen Spillane shes back in key now. Olia had a shaky start. It can be hard to start the show.
• 4:08 PM: Alan not bad
• 4:09 PM: Alan i know, it’s early stages, but i don’t like the stage…no pun intended
• 4:09 PM: Stephen Spillane Good opener, its always hard to start. I think it will get through!
• 4:09 PM: Stephen Spillane The curse of 2nd now for Russia. Its a terrible song…. go put the kettle on
• 4:11 PM: Alan hate this….i know it’s suppose to be a parody, but it’s terrible
• 4:12 PM: Stephen Spillane it wasn’t actually that bad……..
• 4:13 PM: Stephen Spillane Estonia with Siren. This is different. It has grown on me recently.
• 4:13 PM: Alan @stephen, it was. Let’s not argue over this, just accept that I’m right and move on.
• 4:13 PM: Alan I like this one, different
• 4:14 PM: Stephen Spillane I think this could surprise us and qualify. Its not on the prediction list.
• 4:16 PM: Alan It sounds good on my MP3 player, slovakia next
• 4:17 PM: Stephen Spillane Slovakian version of Riverdance??
• 4:18 PM: Alan I like this, like a pure moods song
• 4:18 PM: Alan i could do my pilates to this
• 4:18 PM: Colm Dodd um…whats with the old bride?
• 4:19 PM: Stephen Spillane is the backing singer off key?
• 4:19 PM: dave slovakia = wtf
• 4:20 PM: Stephen Spillane that was interesting. Finland up next. Finnish version of Sharon Shannon
• 4:20 PM: Alan the sirens from Finland next…not ujst about this
• 4:20 PM: dave slovakia’s song gave me gout
• 4:21 PM: Colm Dodd i really need a drinking game for this.
• 4:21 PM: dave now we have to watch out for finland, it wouldn’t be the first time they win by putting up a freak show
• 4:21 PM: Stephen Spillane I like this song, gets your foot tapping!
• 4:21 PM: dave hang on, i like this
• 4:22 PM: Alan my dad likes this…..i don’t know why as he is not fluent in finnish or has any musical taste worth mentioning….
• 4:22 PM: dave yup, like it
• 4:22 PM: dave Finland for second place on saturday
• 4:23 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave who for first place Dave? Belgium?
• 4:23 PM: dave ya
• 4:23 PM: Alan @ ahh dave it’s still early days
• 4:23 PM: dave ya
• 4:23 PM: dave Tom Dice is good
• 4:23 PM: Stephen Spillane This is certain to qualify! best performance so far tonight!
• 4:23 PM: dave and he’s a a big mary
• 4:23 PM: Stephen Spillane This is certain to qualify! best performance so far tonight!
• 4:24 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave i was thinking that!
• 4:24 PM: Stephen Spillane Ad break on RTÉ should i switch to BBC3?
• 4:24 PM: dave oh total mary like
• 4:24 PM: Alan i did like this – good reception in the arena
• 4:25 PM: Alan switched over to BBC3 can’t take Marty at all
• 4:25 PM: Alan josh dubovie is very handsome
• 4:25 PM: Stephen Spillane I dont mind marty, i think Niamh is keeping me there!
• 4:25 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf Norway is bragging about coming in last 10 times! watching in Germany & enjoying your love blog
• 4:25 PM: dave switched to bbc3 as well
• 4:25 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf live blog I mean
• 4:25 PM: dave oh who’s that presenter
• 4:25 PM: dave he’s a riiiiiiide
• 4:26 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga thanks!!! Im glad your enjoying the moment with us!!
• 4:26 PM: Stephen Spillane The first ballad of the night! What for from latvia!
• 4:26 PM: Alan only mr. god knows why!
• 4:27 PM: dave oh jaysis…. latvia’s sh1t
• 4:28 PM: Alan she looks like that girl from Heroes
• 4:28 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf God knows why Latvia chose an out of tune singer
• 4:28 PM: dave and what on earth is she wearing?
• 4:28 PM: dave why does she shop in michael guineys
• 4:28 PM: Colm Dodd she looks like the blonde from ABBA
• 4:29 PM: Alan her nightie, ohh terrible high note
• 4:29 PM: dave @colm, that’s an insult to one of the greatest institutions pop music has ever known
• 4:30 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf she’s wearing a bath gown
• 4:30 PM: dave what is that serbian yoke?
• 4:30 PM: dave is that male or female?
• 4:30 PM: Alan this guys hair is awesome
• 4:30 PM: dave ah… undecided
• 4:31 PM: Alan he’s not screaming straight to me
• 4:31 PM: Alan remember in the disco for bosnia?
• 4:31 PM: dave he can’t even spell straight
• 4:32 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf Servia wins points for entertainment factor – the choreography is epic & the yipping is awesome
• 4:32 PM: dave i agree with ya there
• 4:32 PM: Stephen Spillane ove Je Balkan! – i love it!!!
• 4:32 PM: dave this isn’t bad
• 4:33 PM: dave and the pink shoes… wow
• 4:33 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf pink socks!!!
• 4:33 PM: Stephen Spillane disappointed there is no costume changes like in the national final
• 4:33 PM: Alan for all the bad hair, i quite like this
• 4:33 PM: Alan qualifyer!
• 4:33 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf or shoes? LOL
• 4:33 PM: dave haha she wants that hair do
• 4:34 PM: dave oh… bosnia and herzegovagina
• 4:35 PM: Stephen Spillane im not sure about this song. but im liking the start!
• 4:35 PM: dave nah
• 4:35 PM: Alan he is not playing that guitar
• 4:35 PM: dave gives me gout as well
• 4:35 PM: Alan wind machines are in big use
• 4:35 PM: Alan and he doesnt even have hair to blow!
• 4:36 PM: Alan @dave, what is gout?
• 4:36 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf Thunder & Lightning as a title makes me think of Bohemian Rhapsody — “very very frightening. . .”
• 4:37 PM: dave finland defo on top tonight
• 4:37 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga yes it does actually!
• 4:37 PM: Stephen Spillane bosnia will qualify due to location…. Poland on next, where the ear plugs….
• 4:38 PM: dave they said something happens in this song i wonder what it is
• 4:38 PM: dave thank god ireland can’t vote tonight otherwise they’d go through lol
• 4:39 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave hahaha!!! sooo true!
• 4:40 PM: Niamh B Must say I like his intenseness
• 4:40 PM: Stephen Spillane wow, didnt see that coming! Bucks fizz moment….
• 4:40 PM: Niamh B i guess that’s the something that happens
• 4:40 PM: Colm Dodd I actual like the Polish song
• 4:40 PM: Keith OMG make him stop!!!!!
• 4:40 PM: Alan my mum just grimaced at her vocal
• 4:40 PM: dave wtf is that
• 4:41 PM: dave adam and steve
• 4:41 PM: dave lads, belgium is next
• 4:41 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf What happened? Did I miss something? So confused by Poland…
• 4:41 PM: Stephen Spillane so we go back stage!
• 4:41 PM: dave i’m always confused by poland hahahah
• 4:41 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga they ripped off the girls top!!
• 4:41 PM: Alan his accent is funny!
• 4:42 PM: Alan he sounds like an agent in her majesty’s secret service
• 4:42 PM: Stephen Spillane wow, we are flying through this! we are over halfway through!
• 4:43 PM: Stephen Spillane Tom Dice, Marry me??
• 4:43 PM: dave no he’s mine
• 4:43 PM: dave lol
• 4:43 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf @Stephen Spillane thanks — I must have looked away at the most exciting part (if there was an exciting part)
• 4:43 PM: dave this song is quite good actually
• 4:43 PM: dave he’s only 20, bless
• 4:44 PM: Niamh B i didn’t know america was allowed enter
• 4:44 PM: Stephen Spillane which means I have more of chance then you Dave!
• 4:44 PM: Alan i dont like it
• 4:44 PM: dave shut it niamh lol
• 4:44 PM: Niamh B what kind of accent is that in fairness!
• 4:44 PM: dave tuff @ alan lol
• 4:45 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga well it was the most unexpected part of the night!
• 4:45 PM: dave it’s an american accent
• 4:45 PM: dave duh
• 4:45 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf he’s sweet – with all the glitz & glam it’s refreshing to see someone just singing in a straight up way
• 4:45 PM: Niamh B he sure is peppy
• 4:45 PM: Alan @niamh, english toff with a touch of European royalty
• 4:46 PM: dave i do like him a lot
• 4:46 PM: Niamh B dreamy
• 4:46 PM: dave hear the crowd?
• 4:46 PM: Niamh B yerrah he’s not the worst i suppose
• 4:46 PM: Alan the song goes nowhere, although my tastes lie with Hera Bjork so I cant really comment in fairness!
• 4:47 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf the German commmentator just compared Tom Dice to James Blunt ?!?!?!?!
• 4:47 PM: Alan generic ballad – toilet break
• 4:47 PM: dave lol
• 4:47 PM: Colm Dodd he sounds a bit like John Mayer. I think he could be the guy who wins because everyone votes because he is cute
• 4:48 PM: Stephen Spillane oh this isnt good!
• 4:48 PM: Niamh B i like the floaty bits on the dress
• 4:48 PM: dave painful
• 4:49 PM: Stephen Spillane at least no Giant bird this time!
• 4:49 PM: Niamh B time to turn down the sound and turn up Celine Dion on the stereo… wait
• 4:49 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf Malta’s trying for a Celine Dion Eurovision moment
• 4:49 PM: Niamh B i mean
• 4:49 PM: Niamh B eh
• 4:49 PM: Colm Dodd OMG she has wings!
• 4:49 PM: Niamh B oooh see those special effects
• 4:49 PM: dave what’s with the dress
• 4:49 PM: Niamh B i want that dress
• 4:49 PM: Stephen Spillane spoke too soon….
• 4:49 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf @Stephen Spillane you spoke too soon on the giant bird theme
• 4:50 PM: dave stephen, you’d look fetching in that dress
• 4:50 PM: Alan i like this…my mint magnum that is!
• 4:50 PM: Niamh B her dream is that her dress would have wings
• 4:50 PM: Niamh B and it came true
• 4:50 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga i certainly did!
• 4:50 PM: dave ugh@albania
• 4:51 PM: Stephen Spillane Albania! I love this song!!!
• 4:51 PM: Alan lets just think about frank for a moment
• 4:51 PM: dave frank?
• 4:51 PM: Stephen Spillane She does not look 30! Dave you could learn from here
• 4:52 PM: Niamh B Alan please explain
• 4:52 PM: dave haha, feck off spilane
• 4:52 PM: Alan fellow escireland commentator, founding father
• 4:52 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf OOh I thought Albania was about to break out into It’s Raining Men
• 4:52 PM: dave ah the dermody yoke
• 4:52 PM: Alan he’s in oslo and he loves this song
• 4:52 PM: Niamh B well good for him
• 4:53 PM: Colm Dodd its sounds like an Alexandra Burke song (like bad boys or broken heels)
• 4:53 PM: dave she’s got the same big mouth as well
• 4:54 PM: dave actually this song is far from bad
• 4:54 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf Albania’s channelling onnie Tyler circa 1984
• 4:54 PM: Niamh B it does actually
• 4:54 PM: Stephen Spillane so, i have gotten three msgs from ppl expressing their love form Tom Dice. I think he could do well on Saturday night!
• 4:54 PM: Alan its fairly good
• 4:54 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf Bonnie Tyler
• 4:54 PM: dave i love tom dice
• 4:54 PM: Alan OPA
• 4:54 PM: dave hahaha did you hear that comment on bbc3?
• 4:54 PM: Stephen Spillane Opa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• 4:54 PM: Niamh B he’s the best so far
• 4:54 PM: dave if this doesn’t qualify, i declare myself straight
• 4:54 PM: dave lol
• 4:54 PM: Alan missed it, what was said?
• 4:55 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf @dave what did BBC3 say?
• 4:55 PM: Colm Dodd its not a woeful song. and i think the real way to win the eurovision is to have a cute guy singing
• 4:55 PM: Alan “opa winfrey” marty get off the television
• 4:55 PM: dave that presenter on BBC3 said: if this doesn’t qualify i declare myself straight hahahah
• 4:55 PM: Colm Dodd haha i like the greek song
• 4:55 PM: Stephen Spillane listen out for the ringtone!
• 4:55 PM: Niamh B creepy dancers
• 4:56 PM: Niamh B but i like that it’s in their own language
• 4:56 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf @dave is it Graham Norton on BBC3? OPA!
• 4:56 PM: dave Greece shouldn’t count on this song to save their economy, they’re fucked if they do
• 4:56 PM: Niamh B deffo catchy
• 4:57 PM: dave lol@niksih…. no it’s some random hot guy
• 4:57 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga its Paddy O’Connell tonight I think. Norton is only doin Saturday
• 4:57 PM: Alan looks effortless!
• 4:57 PM: dave Belgium 1 finland 2
• 4:58 PM: NishikataEiga Thanks @Stephen Spillane
  #escsf
• 4:59 PM: Stephen Spillane Will Portugal ever win?
• 4:59 PM: dave no
• 4:59 PM: dave not with this crap
• 4:59 PM: Colm Dodd as Sheila Sheikh says “forget the portugese, what about the talla-gese?”
• 4:59 PM: NishikataEiga Well, at least she looks lovely #escsf
• 5:00 PM: Gareth Putting on the kettle, I don’t even drink tea.
• 5:01 PM: dave that she does
• 5:01 PM: dave lol@gareth
• 5:01 PM: Alan Not going to win, but it’s not bad….sounds Disneyesque!
• 5:01 PM: Stephen Spillane @Gareth have a coffee!
• 5:01 PM: dave well Alan, you clearly have no taste :-
• 5:01 PM: dave lol
• 5:02 PM: Stephen Spillane 3 to go! and ad break on RTÉ
• 5:02 PM: Alan i know!
• 5:02 PM: Alan they showed the flashmob dance on BBC3 love it
• 5:03 PM: NishikataEiga Watching ad-free in Germany – they are filling with backstage footage from rehearsals #escsf
• 5:03 PM: Gareth No coffee, I need to get sleep as I’m heading to Oslo tomorrow!
• 5:03 PM: Alan yulanna on bbc3
• 5:03 PM: dave how does your bird work? hahahahaa
• 5:03 PM: NishikataEiga Lucky You! @Gareth #escsf
• 5:03 PM: Alan quick question, with 3 songs left how are they going to fill the entire hour that’s left?
• 5:04 PM: dave they’re going to drag out the voting
• 5:04 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave theres no voting. Its just announced!
• 5:04 PM: dave there is voting no?
• 5:04 PM: Stephen Spillane @Alan we will see the songs performing on Thursday and the Big 4 +Norway!
• 5:04 PM: dave no irish votes though
• 5:05 PM: dave countries that are in it can vote tonight
• 5:05 PM: Gareth I’m tired of quirky presenter, bring back the proffesionals
• 5:05 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave there is, but results arent announced until after the final. We only find out who qualify
• 5:05 PM: dave yeah i know that
• 5:05 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave incorrect. France, Germany and Spain are alos voting.
• 5:05 PM: dave but they ‘re going to wait till the last moment to announce
• 5:05 PM: dave why are they voting?
• 5:06 PM: Alan I like Macedonian Rock!
• 5:06 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave because they are automatically in the final. Norway and the UK will be voting on thursday.
• 5:06 PM: Scandalcentral I quite like it too…
• 5:06 PM: NishikataEiga Macedonia has lame choreography – should have just had him performing on his own with the rapper #escsf
• 5:07 PM: dave ah
• 5:07 PM: Alan Macedonian rap not so much!
• 5:07 PM: dave well at least on thursday the UK can vote for the irish
• 5:07 PM: NishikataEiga or the guitarist #escsf
• 5:07 PM: Alan those girls are a bit vulgar
• 5:07 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave exactly!!
• 5:08 PM: Scandalcentral @Dave..hopefully…
• 5:08 PM: Stephen Spillane This is really quiet on the CD. Hopefully we can hear them over the music tonight. Its a lovely song.
• 5:08 PM: dave oh belarus… cute… very cute indeed
• 5:09 PM: Scandalcentral OMG Hot!!!
• 5:09 PM: dave riiiiiiiiiiiiiide
• 5:09 PM: Alan Wait for the outfits
• 5:09 PM: Gareth Phaw!
• 5:10 PM: Stephen Spillane Tom Dice was waaay hotter lads. Ye are so fickle!
• 5:10 PM: dave oh stephen, i changed my mind… you can have tom dice… i’ll have this one instead
• 5:10 PM: Alan My musical taste may be up my arse, but you boys have crap taste in boys
• 5:10 PM: Gareth Uah not so phaw
• 5:10 PM: Colm Dodd really? maybe i just have no taste in guys
• 5:10 PM: Alan No colm, im with you
• 5:10 PM: dave is there anyone straight on this blog??? LOL
• 5:10 PM: Stephen Spillane @Alan lol!!!
• 5:10 PM: Scandalcentral Tom Dice had a bad bone structure
• 5:11 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral you are so picky!!!
• 5:11 PM: Colm Dodd thank you alan. I was beginning to get a complex
• 5:11 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave ahm maybe the girls….
• 5:11 PM: dave hahahah pfew
• 5:11 PM: Alan @Dave, no dave. It’s Eurovision
• 5:11 PM: Scandalcentral @Stephen….I know
• 5:11 PM: Colm Dodd butterfly wings? Great, now I can squash them against my window
• 5:11 PM: dave the one on the right here is a ride
• 5:11 PM: NishikataEiga Fairies!! LOL #escsf
• 5:11 PM: Scandalcentral Was a bit boring in the end..
• 5:12 PM: Alan Come on Iceland!
• 5:12 PM: Stephen Spillane Iceland! wooop! Love this song!
• 5:12 PM: Alan she has massive boobs
• 5:12 PM: dave iceland…. mind the ash
• 5:12 PM: Alan can I say that
• 5:12 PM: dave yes you can
• 5:12 PM: Stephen Spillane @Alan you did!!
• 5:12 PM: Scandalcentral o wow
• 5:12 PM: Alan “I know you have that special something!”
• 5:12 PM: dave what a volcano of a woman
• 5:13 PM: Alan @dave…hahahahaha love it
• 5:13 PM: Scandalcentral @dave lol
• 5:13 PM: dave can’t wait for her to erupt
• 5:13 PM: Scandalcentral Pity they have no neighbours
• 5:13 PM: Colm Dodd they should have put her over the volcano to block the eruption
• 5:13 PM: dave there is it…. she just erupted
• 5:13 PM: Alan cut to me dancing in my living room!
• 5:13 PM: dave they do have neighbours… norway… greenland…. faroe islands hahahah
• 5:14 PM: dave lol@colm
• 5:14 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral and everyone else is pissed off with them! Yohanna did well for them though.
• 5:14 PM: Alan Ahh lets no slag her size….she has a great voice!
• 5:14 PM: Stephen Spillane OMG Euroband are backing singers!!! remember them???
• 5:14 PM: dave she does
• 5:14 PM: Scandalcentral I love the way the backers have short skirts and hers is long!!
• 5:14 PM: dave this is catchy
• 5:14 PM: Alan her dress is god awful though!
• 5:14 PM: Colm Dodd she does Alan. It was just an obvious volcano joke. Nothing wrong with her.
• 5:15 PM: Scandalcentral I love it
• 5:15 PM: dave haha who deleted that comment lol
• 5:15 PM: Alan Will defo qualify!
• 5:16 PM: Stephen Spillane so thats it! Here are some Predictions www.escireland.com what are yours?
• 5:16 PM: Scandalcentral I dont mean this in a rascist way…but isnt it odd to have a coloured person in Oslo?
• 5:16 PM: dave belgium 1
• 5:16 PM: dave finland 2
• 5:16 PM: dave iceland 3
• 5:16 PM: dave white is a colour as well scandal
• 5:16 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral its not Denmark.
• 5:17 PM: dave so they’re all coloured up there
• 5:17 PM: Scandalcentral @SS Whoops!
• 5:17 PM: Colm Dodd estonia may do well. Catchy song
• 5:18 PM: Stephen Spillane Is it weird that I am attracted to the Estonian guy???
• 5:18 PM: dave yes
• 5:18 PM: NishikataEiga Oslo is pretty cosmopolitan @scandal #escsf
• 5:18 PM: dave finland!!!!!
• 5:18 PM: dave oslo is fantastic
• 5:18 PM: dave except on a tuesday night
• 5:19 PM: Scandalcentral What is the story with Serbia…hate it!
• 5:19 PM: Stephen Spillane I think Moldova, Russia, Latvia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Albania, Greece, Slovakia and Iceland
• 5:19 PM: Alan Slovakia, Moldova, Iceland, Finland, Belgium, Albania, Greece, Serbia, Macedonia, Belarus. Could be totally wrong. I normally am!
• 5:19 PM: Colm Dodd kinda stephen….though i think the russian singer is kinda hot (apart from the boring song and angst)
• 5:19 PM: dave belgiummmmmmm
• 5:20 PM: Stephen Spillane Seriously, im tracking Tom Dice down in Belgium
• 5:20 PM: NishikataEiga My votes with Belgium #escsf
• 5:20 PM: Scandalcentral dont rule out belgium
• 5:20 PM: dave i’ll warn him so
• 5:20 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga I think you are the only one here who can vote!
• 5:20 PM: dave isn’t belgium supposed to be one of the favourites to win this year
• 5:21 PM: dave thanks nishik
• 5:21 PM: Scandalcentral someone have pity for poor portugal
• 5:21 PM: NishikataEiga #escsf
• 5:21 PM: Stephen Spillane During the interval, why dont you make a prediction for Semi-Final 2? spreadsheets.google.com
• 5:21 PM: Stephen Spillane (PS we will be doing this all again on thursday! so do join us!)
• 5:23 PM: Stephen Spillane first technical glitch of the night!
• 5:23 PM: Alan eek I had to look away!
• 5:23 PM: Stephen Spillane Loving the pink umbrella, very apt for Eurovision!
• 5:24 PM: dave haha holland looks funny
• 5:25 PM: Stephen Spillane that was crap…
• 5:25 PM: dave lol
• 5:26 PM: dave hahah anyone watching bbc3????
• 5:26 PM: Scandalcentral Russians..so hot
• 5:26 PM: dave sparkly
• 5:26 PM: dave lol
• 5:27 PM: Stephen Spillane the results form the Douglas Street (Cork) Jury from a friend: Serbia , Bo?nia, iceland, Albania , greece , Malta , finland , Portugal , belgium , and slovakia
• 5:27 PM: Scandalcentral Greece? really?
• 5:29 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral I think it will qualify. Its fast upbeat and very eurovision.
• 5:29 PM: NishikataEiga Poland’s shirt moment is a big let down — no wonder I didn’t notice it #escsf
• 5:29 PM: Scandalcentral I would put Macedonia ahead of it…
• 5:30 PM: dave they put malta in the top ten as well????
• 5:30 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave it is a group! compromise!
• 5:30 PM: Alan Again, his accent is all over the place, it’s very disconcerting!
• 5:31 PM: dave lol
• 5:31 PM: NishikataEiga voted for Belgium #escsf
• 5:31 PM: Stephen Spillane Marty has no clue! The presenters are telling him stuff he didnt know! (but i did!)
• 5:31 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga wooooooooooooooo!!!
• 5:31 PM: dave thanks mishika
• 5:31 PM: dave we love you
• 5:31 PM: dave belgium rulezzz
• 5:31 PM: Stephen Spillane I want my hair to look like that!
• 5:32 PM: dave me too
• 5:32 PM: Scandalcentral ugh please
• 5:32 PM: dave lol
• 5:32 PM: Stephen Spillane 10
• 5:32 PM: NishikataEiga Nice wig on the host #escsf
• 5:32 PM: Stephen Spillane voting is over!
• 5:32 PM: Stephen Spillane and now the interval act proper…. please???
• 5:32 PM: Alan Come on Ireland…oh wait…:)
• 5:32 PM: Scandalcentral is there a story behind the fact we have 3 presenters?
• 5:33 PM: NishikataEiga When & how did people start singing? How random #escsf
• 5:34 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral on Saturday, one will be in the green room for the night. The other two on stage! remember when there used to be only one host???
• 5:35 PM: Alan Interval acts in general are bad…..but semi final interval acts are something else!
• 5:35 PM: Scandalcentral @SS…sure do…I feel old..
• 5:35 PM: Colm Dodd how people started singing?
• 5:35 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral Katie Boyle!! we need her back hosting!
• 5:35 PM: Colm Dodd
  here’s how www.youtube.com
• 5:35 PM: Stephen Spillane @Colm Dodd dont ask!
• 5:35 PM: NishikataEiga Did Converse pay for their placement in this filler? #escsf
• 5:36 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga you know the Irish started that? Back in 1981 Guinness payed for it to be in the postcards.
• 5:36 PM: Scandalcentral is there a point to this tripe!
• 5:37 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral waste time while they count the votes
• 5:37 PM: Alan no it’s woejus!
• 5:37 PM: Scandalcentral o dear jesus
• 5:37 PM: NishikataEiga Eurovision Postcards? I don’t recall seeing those at the Guinness museum #escsf @Stephen Spillane
• 5:38 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga as in the postcards before the acts!
• 5:38 PM: Scandalcentral was the glass/dress thing accidental?
• 5:38 PM: NishikataEiga I see #escsf
• 5:39 PM: NishikataEiga glass/dress thing planned in my opinion #escsf
• 5:39 PM: Scandalcentral i agree…it happened so fast i was unsure
• 5:40 PM: Colm Dodd it was referencing the opera singer breaking glass with her voice earlier in the act
• 5:40 PM: NishikataEiga I was looking at her face & thought it was a case of bad acting #escsf
• 5:40 PM: Alan Yey, Ireland just got a mention, by accident, but we were mentioned nonetheless
• 5:41 PM: Scandalcentral @colm…i drifted off for a while
• 5:41 PM: dave yay results
• 5:41 PM: Colm Dodd it’s understandable scandal
• 5:41 PM: Stephen Spillane puppets!
• 5:41 PM: Scandalcentral “I am only 8″…o dear god
• 5:41 PM: dave haha you have to be over 16 years old……
• 5:41 PM: NishikataEiga no animals on stage? I beg to differ
  #escsf
• 5:42 PM: Colm Dodd spanish singer looks like Mika
• 5:42 PM: dave Sandra Kim was not 16 when she won back in 86
• 5:42 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga Dustin….. oh the shame…
• 5:42 PM: dave no amimals? what about dustin
• 5:42 PM: Stephen Spillane @dave she was 13!
• 5:42 PM: Alan They changed it after her win
• 5:42 PM: Alan he was 13
• 5:42 PM: dave yup
• 5:42 PM: Alan hahahaha
• 5:42 PM: Alan she was 13
• 5:42 PM: Scandalcentral craig doyle lookalike?
• 5:42 PM: Alan well done stephen
• 5:42 PM: dave lol
• 5:42 PM: dave it’s defo a she
• 5:43 PM: Alan defo, j’aime le vie
• 5:43 PM: dave oh i’m liking the UK entry
• 5:43 PM: Stephen Spillane the UK song is dire!!!!!
• 5:43 PM: Alan loved it
• 5:43 PM: Scandalcentral UK= hot
• 5:43 PM: Alan Dave, you are dead to me
• 5:43 PM: Alan
• 5:43 PM: Stephen Spillane I like France!!!
• 5:43 PM: Scandalcentral @SS song is dire
• 5:43 PM: Alan Me too
• 5:43 PM: dave i have J’aime la vie on vynil
• 5:43 PM: dave me dead to you alan? pffff
• 5:43 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral UK or france?
• 5:43 PM: dave lol
• 5:43 PM: Alan GERMANY
• 5:43 PM: Scandalcentral La France, tres bien!
• 5:43 PM: Stephen Spillane Deutschland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• 5:44 PM: Scandalcentral Hate it
• 5:44 PM: dave ueber alles?
• 5:44 PM: Stephen Spillane Ich Libe Es!!!! Satellite!!
• 5:44 PM: Stephen Spillane Who else got the CD?
• 5:44 PM: Stephen Spillane Result time! Woop!
• 5:44 PM: Scandalcentral cd was overpriced
• 5:44 PM: Alan I downloaded it
• 5:45 PM: Alan Will buy the cd at some ponit
• 5:45 PM: Alan point
• 5:45 PM: Alan svante
• 5:45 PM: Alan i love you svante!
• 5:45 PM: dave haha perv
• 5:45 PM: Colm Dodd That presenter gets on my tits. She is like a school teacher
• 5:45 PM: Stephen Spillane I love you Svante! (I want his job)
• 5:45 PM: NishikataEiga Have you heard about the Lena scandal? #escsf
• 5:45 PM: Alan No…spill
• 5:45 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga which one?
• 5:46 PM: Scandalcentral I like the presenter in green
• 5:46 PM: dave belgium belgium belgium belgium belgium belgium belgium belgium belgium belgium
• 5:46 PM: Stephen Spillane @Colm Dodd she is a kids tv presenter!
• 5:46 PM: Alan the german scandal
• 5:46 PM: Colm Dodd @stephen that explains a lot
• 5:46 PM: Stephen Spillane bosnia!!!
• 5:46 PM: Alan I though he was a kids presenter?
• 5:46 PM: dave bosnia hergovagina
• 5:46 PM: Stephen Spillane no surprise
• 5:46 PM: Stephen Spillane @Alan she is too i think
• 5:47 PM: Stephen Spillane Moldova!
• 5:47 PM: Alan Moldava
• 5:47 PM: dave all eastern block voting so far
• 5:47 PM: Scandalcentral going well so far…
• 5:47 PM: Stephen Spillane 2 out of 2 on the prediction
• 5:47 PM: Stephen Spillane Russia! Boooo”
• 5:47 PM: dave WTF???
• 5:47 PM: dave russia???
• 5:47 PM: Colm Dodd yay russia!!!….oh wait
• 5:47 PM: Alan That is shocking!
• 5:47 PM: dave ah come on lads, they’re taking the piss
• 5:47 PM: Stephen Spillane It got booded!
• 5:48 PM: Stephen Spillane Greece!!!
• 5:48 PM: Stephen Spillane Opa!
• 5:48 PM: NishikataEiga OPA! #escsf
• 5:48 PM: dave well the greek boys go through on looks i’d say
• 5:48 PM: Alan Greece deserves it’s place
• 5:48 PM: Colm Dodd OPA! (dutch for grandfather but i doubt they are singing about one)
• 5:48 PM: Scandalcentral Greece wasnt very entertaining…
• 5:48 PM: Alan wtf?
• 5:48 PM: dave what?
• 5:48 PM: Stephen Spillane Portugal! one of the maybes!
• 5:48 PM: dave portugal?
• 5:48 PM: Scandalcentral yeah Portugal!!!
• 5:49 PM: Alan Did not see that coming
• 5:49 PM: Scandalcentral that was jury power?
• 5:49 PM: Stephen Spillane lol @ the reactions!
• 5:49 PM: Alan come on iceland/albania
• 5:49 PM: Stephen Spillane Belarus!
• 5:49 PM: dave belgium, finland and iceland, where are they?
• 5:49 PM: Scandalcentral finland to lose out….
• 5:50 PM: Stephen Spillane Serbia!
• 5:50 PM: Alan the hair has a place
• 5:50 PM: Scandalcentral wierd hair got tru…
• 5:50 PM: NishikataEiga Saving the best for last?? #escsf
• 5:50 PM: Alan belgium iceland albania – final 3
• 5:51 PM: Scandalcentral Marty “ill have to give that child a home ” LOL
• 5:51 PM: dave belgium!!!!
• 5:51 PM: Alan yes
• 5:51 PM: dave yeeeeeeeeeeees
• 5:51 PM: Stephen Spillane Belgium! Thank fuck!
• 5:51 PM: dave pfew
• 5:51 PM: Colm Dodd what a suprise. the twink go through
• 5:51 PM: NishikataEiga Woo hoo!!! #escsf
• 5:51 PM: dave whooo hoooo
• 5:51 PM: dave iceland or finland
• 5:51 PM: dave come on
• 5:51 PM: Paul Yay Belgium! Crowd goes wild
• 5:51 PM: Paul Comeon Belgium. Yes, saving best for last!
• 5:51 PM: dave i love belgium
• 5:51 PM: Alan yes
• 5:52 PM: Stephen Spillane Albania!
• 5:52 PM: Alan iceland has to have the final ticket
• 5:52 PM: Scandalcentral albania did actually deserve to go tru..
• 5:52 PM: dave this means that only one more can go through, hoping for iceland or finland
• 5:52 PM: Stephen Spillane Iceland or Finland??
• 5:52 PM: Scandalcentral Iceland!!!!
• 5:52 PM: Alan only mr. god knows why!
• 5:52 PM: dave iceland come on
• 5:52 PM: dave or finland
• 5:52 PM: Alan Yes
• 5:52 PM: dave yes
• 5:52 PM: Alan woohoo
• 5:52 PM: dave whooo
• 5:52 PM: Stephen Spillane iceland and Jonathan goes mad!
• 5:52 PM: Alan love it
• 5:53 PM: Stephen Spillane lol
• 5:53 PM: Scandalcentral Volcanoe!!!!!!!
• 5:53 PM: dave i feel sorry for finland cos they were very good
• 5:53 PM: NishikataEiga The German reporter just said “I think the Icelandic volcano will erupt” LOL #escsf
• 5:53 PM: Stephen Spillane lads, we got the prediction spot on!
• 5:53 PM: NishikataEiga FINLAND:( #escsf
• 5:53 PM: dave Eyjafjallajokul is in
• 5:53 PM: dave Go Eyjafjallajokul
• 5:54 PM: Alan lol
• 5:56 PM: Stephen Spillane the qualifiers: * Greece
  * Albania
  * Belgium
  * Moldova
  * Serbia
  * Iceland
  * Belarus
  * Bosnia and Herzegovina
  * Slovakia
  * Portugal
• 5:56 PM: NishikataEiga Well, at least we don’t have to listen to Latvia again #escsf
• 5:57 PM: dave i’ll be glued to the box on saturday, cheering for belgium
• 5:57 PM: Scandalcentral I think belgium now should have a great chance
• 5:57 PM: dave i hope so scandal…. we haven’t won since 1986
• 5:58 PM: Alan Good result from Semi Final 1. Iceland, Greece, Albania, Moldova and Belgium. Not a bad nights work.
• 5:58 PM: NishikataEiga Tom Dice will give Lena a run for her money #escsf
• 5:58 PM: Scandalcentral It also gives me great hope for Ireland!
• 5:58 PM: dave here’s hoping
• 5:58 PM: Alan I hope so. Niamh deserves her place in the final
• 5:59 PM: dave yup
• 5:59 PM: dave eurovision party at my house on saturday night? LOL
• 6:00 PM: Scandalcentral Chambers
• 6:00 PM: Alan And it’s over till Thursday. I don’t know about you, but that was heaps of fun!
• 6:00 PM: dave chambers… nah
• 6:00 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral i shall see you there!
• 6:00 PM: dave flat screen with surround in my house… oh yeah, lots of drink as well lol
• 6:01 PM: Scandalcentral @Stephen…im currently sick with a horrendus asthmatic cough..so if it doesnt recover i wont be able to go <tear>
• 6:03 PM: NishikataEiga Ciao until Thursday! #escsf
• 6:03 PM: Stephen Spillane @Scandalcentral awww i hope you will be better!!!
• 6:03 PM: Stephen Spillane @NishikataEiga good night and thanks for joining us!
• 6:04 PM: dave lads i’m off…. nite nite… see ye on facebook
• 6:04 PM: Stephen Spillane I will leave the liveblog go on for another bit! but do join us on Thursday. Keep an eye on www.escireland.com for the details of it
• 6:11 PM: Stephen Spillane the winners of the prediction with 9 correct choices each: Shelia Fits and Styling Och Consulting and Stephen S (yes me)