| Eurovision Song Contest 1974 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participating broadcaster | Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ) | |||
| Country |  Ireland | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process | Artist: Internal selection Song: National final | |||
| Selection date(s) | 10 February 1974 | |||
| Selected artist(s) | Tina Reynolds | |||
| Selected song | "Cross Your Heart" | |||
| Selected songwriter(s) | Paul Lyttle | |||
| Finals performance | ||||
| Final result | 7th, 11 points | |||
| Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
| ||||
Ireland was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 with the song "Cross Your Heart", written by Paul Lyttle, and performed by Tina Reynolds. The Irish participating broadcaster, Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ), selected its entry through a national final, after having previously selected the performer internally.
For the first time since joining Eurovision in 1965, RTÉ pre-selected Reynolds as its performer rather than holding a multi-artist selection. It is generally believed that this was in acknowledgement of Reynolds' co-operation with RTÉ during the well-publicised controversies and disagreements which had dogged the Irish participation in 1973.
Before Eurovision
[edit]National final
[edit]Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ) held the national final at its studios in Dublin, hosted by Mike Murphy. Reynolds performed eight songs, with the winner chosen by postcard voting.[1]
| Draw | Song | Televote | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Tiocfaidh mé ar ais" | 3,738 | 4 |
| 2 | "Music Man" | 2,317 | 5 |
| 3 | "Cinnte" | 930 | 7 |
| 4 | "Never Again" | 1,012 | 6 |
| 5 | "Is liom é" | 5,044 | 2 |
| 6 | "Cross Your Heart" | 16,686 | 1 |
| 7 | "Nach aisteach mar éalaíonn an grá" | 564 | 8 |
| 8 | "My World" | 4,729 | 3 |
Irish Army soldiers were stationed outside the studio after a bomb threat was called in to RTÉ seven minutes before the show, which took place during the most violent period of The Troubles. Four more bomb threats were called in during the programme.[2]
At Eurovision
[edit]On the night of the final Reynolds performed 13th in the running order, following the Netherlands and preceding Germany. At the close of voting "Cross Your Heart" had picked up 11 points, placing Ireland joint 7th (with Israel) of the 17 entries.[3][4]
Voting
[edit]
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References
[edit]- ^ ESC National Finals database 1974
- ^ The Irish Times (Monday, February 11, 1974), front page.
- ^ "Final of Brighton 1974". Eurovision Song Contest. Archived from the original on 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
- ^ ESC History - Ireland 1974
- ^ a b "Results of the Final of Brighton 1974". Eurovision Song Contest. Archived from the original on 9 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.