So hello there, I am one of the new writers here on ESCIreland.com. My name is Stephen Spillane and I have been blogging about eurovision over on my own blog stephenspillane.com since 2006.

I wouldn’t consider myself an expert on Eurovision, but I know what I like, and who ever I support, doesn’t win. So don’t bet on my picks!

I will be cross posting my posts on Eurovision stuff here, and of course, will be providing some original material.

I normally love the Danish entry every year for no reason, and I have an affinity for Germany also!

So just so your know where I am coming from on my love of Eurovision, here is my favourite song from each year since 2005. (Note: I am ruling out winners, as they are mostly obvious!)

2005 – Kyiv

Walters & Kazha – The War is Not Over (Latvia, 5th place)

This is a lovely song, and they are cute to boot! I do like my ballads, but I’m not stuck with them, don’t worry.

2006 – Athens

Carola – Invincible (Sweden, 5th place)

Do I have to explain this one?

2007 – Helsinki

DQ – Drama Queen (Denmark, 19th in the Semi)

To me 2007 wasn’t a great year for Eurovision and a lot of my favourites went out in the Semi (see my curse). But this was a fun entry and different!

2008 – Belgrade

Ani Lorak – Shady Lady (Ukraine, 2nd Place)

This is an amazing song and I did prefer it to the eventual winner. Brilliant song and I have great memories dancing to it!

2009 – Moscow

Christina Mextaxa – Firefly (Cyprus, 14th in Semi-Final 2)

This wasn’t one of favourites coming up to the contest, but after seeing it in the Semi and constantly listening to it on the CD it has grown on me hugely!

So that’s sort of where I come from on Eurovision songs. Hopefully some of my predictions this year will be a bit more accurate!

The first (we hope) in a set of tribute acts, local legend and Ireland’s very own Verka Serduchka, Sheila Fitzpatrick does a wonderful version of Niamh Kavanagh’s “It’s For You”. Sheila is a huge supporter of the Eurovision and is particularly famous for his Malena Ernman impressions Better yet, it’s gotten the official royal approval, Niamh loves it.

Tonight of course is not Niamh Kavanagh’s first appearance in Eurosong! Here for posterity is the less well known national final version of In Your Eyes. Where Niamh hadn’t quite worked out just how to approach the big wailing key change.

Bonne chance a Niamh et tout les particpants en Eurosong 2010 ce soir. Here at ESC Ireland, we might appear somewhat biased at time but we promise to approach tonight’s show with an open mind. And plenty of liquor. We’ll also be live tweeting and you can follow our comments and those of other Eurosong fans by using the hashtag #eurosong or by viewing this Scribble Live page.

Well would you Adam and Eve it!

When Abba stormed to victory in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton with Waterloo how many points do you think they were awarded by the host country?

Nul points. Nada.

Waterloo went on to top the British singles chart and the band score eight more British Number 1s before disbanding in 1980. Their Greatest Hits Collection, ABBA: GOLD has sold 4 million copies in the UK. Mamma Mia! the musical debuted in London’s West End and the movie version is one of the highest grossing cinema releases in British history.

A surprising bit of ESC trivia on this Sunday morning!

The voting sequence at the Eurovision Song Contest has thrown up a couple of funny situations throughout the years…

Nice to hear Gay Byrne in 1967; “I thought we were going to be left out!” Fionnuala Sweeney mistakeningly giving the Netherland’s douze points to Niamh Kavanagh in 1993 is another Irish highlight!