Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997

Eurovision Song Contest 1997
Country Ireland
National selection
Selection processEurosong
Selection date(s)9 March 1997
Selected entrantMarc Roberts
Selected song"Mysterious Woman"
Selected songwriter(s)John Farry
Finals performance
Final result2nd, 157 points
Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄1996 • 1997 • 1998►

For the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest held in Dublin, Ireland selected Marc Roberts to represent the country with the song "Mysterious Woman".

Before Eurovision

National final

Réalta '97

'Réalta' was a radio song contest started in 1995 by RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta exclusively for Irish songs.[1] The first edition of the contest was not related to Eurosong, but from 1996 until 1999, the recent winner of Réalta would qualify to Eurosong. The 3rd edition of Réalta took place on 22 November 1996.[2] The running order and some of the results of Réalta '97 are unknown.[3][4]

Artist Song Place
Aiden Coleman "Slán go fóill" -
Ann Marie Nic Dhonnchadha "An tearrach" -
Art Ó Dufaigh "Gairm na seirce" -
Barry Ronan "Cailín álainn" -
Evelyn Curry "Carnán cloch" -
Helen Uí Dhunaird "Uaigneas" 1
Micheál Ó hAllúráin "Tógaigí sos" -
Nioclás Breathnach "Saol búca" -
Seán Monaghan "Cáwockatú" 2
Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin "Seo an talamh" -

Eurosong

The final took place on 9 March 1997 at the Institute of Technology in Waterford, hosted by Pat Kenny. Eight entries competed in the final and the winner, "Mysterious Woman" performed by Marc Roberts, was determined by the votes of ten regional juries.[5]

Final – 9 March 1997
Draw Artist Song Songwriter(s) Points Place
1 Tommy Quinn "Good Life" Teresa Keogh 59 5
2 Miranda "I Am Here" Jim Walsh 48 7
3 Darren Holden "Suddenly" Darren Holden 91 2
4 Michelle Costelloe "Never Far Away" Michelle Costelloe 45 8
5 Helen Uí Dhúnaird "Uaigneas" Seán Ó Coisdealbha 54 6
6 Gary O'Shaughnessy "Love and Understanding" Michael Heffernan, Kevin Smith 87 3
7 Maggie Toal "My Love" Tony Adams-Rosa 67 4
8 Marc Roberts "Mysterious Woman" John Farry 99 1
Detailed Regional Jury Votes
Draw Song Athlone Ballybunion Cork Dublin Dundalk Galway Killybegs Limerick Sligo Waterford Total
1 "Good Life" 6 4 7 6 6 8 6 8 5 3 59
2 "I Am Here" 5 3 5 8 3 3 3 5 3 10 48
3 "Suddenly" 10 8 10 12 7 6 10 4 12 12 91
4 "Never Far Away" 3 5 3 4 5 4 4 6 4 7 45
5 "Uaigneas" 4 7 4 3 4 10 5 3 6 8 54
6 "Love and Understanding" 8 10 8 10 8 12 7 10 10 4 87
7 "My Love" 7 6 6 5 10 5 8 7 8 5 67
8 "Mysterious Woman" 12 12 12 7 12 7 12 12 7 6 99

At Eurovision

Ahead of the contest, Ireland were considered one of the favourites among bookmakers to win the contest for an eighth time, featuring alongside the entries from Italy, United Kingdom, Germany and Estonia.[6] Roberts performed 5th in the running order on the night of the contest. "Mysterious Woman" went on to be placed 2nd with 157 points.[7] To date, this was the last time Ireland's Eurovision entry placed in the top five.

Voting

Points awarded to Ireland[8]
Score Country
12 points  United Kingdom
10 points
8 points
7 points
6 points
5 points  Russia
4 points  Netherlands
3 points  Norway
2 points
1 point  Slovenia
Points awarded by Ireland[8]
Score Country
12 points  United Kingdom
10 points  France
8 points  Estonia
7 points  Malta
6 points  Spain
5 points  Sweden
4 points  Hungary
3 points  Cyprus
2 points  Turkey
1 point  Italy

References

  1. ^ Various - Réalta, 1995, retrieved 28 June 2023
  2. ^ Archives, RTÉ (5 July 2012). "RTÉ Archives". stillslibrary.rte.ie. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  3. ^ Archives, RTÉ (5 July 2012). "RTÉ Archives". stillslibrary.rte.ie. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  4. ^ Various - Réalta '97 - Uaigneas, 26 June 2023, retrieved 28 June 2023
  5. ^ "https://web.archive.org/web/20091022161852/http://geocities.com/national_finals_90s_00s/Ireland1997.html
  6. ^ "What are the Odds?". Radio Telefís Éireann. Archived from the original on 24 February 1999. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Final of Dublin 1997". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Results of the Final of Dublin 1997". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  • v
  • t
  • e
ParticipationArtistsSongs
  • "22"
  • "All Kinds of Everything"
  • "Born to Sing"
  • "Ceol an Ghrá"
  • "Chance of a Lifetime"
  • "Come Back to Stay"
  • "Could It Be That I'm in Love"
  • "Cross Your Heart"
  • "Do I Dream"
  • "Doomsday Blue"
  • "Dreamin'"
  • "Dying to Try"
  • "Et Cetera"
  • "Every Song Is a Cry for Love"
  • "Happy Man"
  • "Heartbeat"
  • "Here Today Gone Tomorrow"
  • "Hold Me Now"
  • "Horoscopes"
  • "If I Could Choose"
  • "If My World Stopped Turning"
  • "In Your Eyes"
  • "Irelande Douze Pointe"
  • "Is Always Over Now?"
  • "It's for You"
  • "It's Nice to Be in Love Again"
  • "Lipstick"
  • "Love?"
  • "Maps"
  • "Millennium of Love"
  • "Mysterious Woman"
  • "One Day Love"
  • "Only Love Survives"
  • "Playing with Numbers"
  • "The Real Me"
  • "Rock 'n' Roll Kids"
  • "Somewhere in Europe"
  • "Story of My Life"
  • "Sunlight"
  • "Take Him Home"
  • "Terminal 3"
  • "That's Rich"
  • "That's What Friends Are For"
  • "They Can't Stop the Spring"
  • "Together"
  • "The Voice"
  • "The Wages of Love"
  • "Wait Until the Weekend Comes"
  • "Walking the Streets in the Rain"
  • "Waterline"
  • "We Are One"
  • "We've Got the World"
  • "What's Another Year"
  • "When"
  • "When You Need Me"
  • "Why Me?"
  • "Without Your Love"
  • "You Can Count On Me"
  • Note: Entries scored out signify where Ireland did not compete
  • v
  • t
  • e
Countries
Artists
Songs
  • "Ale jestem"
  • "Antes do adeus"
  • "Bara hon älskar mig"
  • "Dentro di me"
  • "Dinle"
  • "Fiumi di parole"
  • "Goodbye"
  • "Horepse"
  • "Keelatud maa"
  • "Let Me Fly"
  • "Love Shine a Light"
  • "Mana mou"
  • "Miért kell, hogy elmenj?"
  • "Minn hinsti dans"
  • "Mysterious Woman"
  • "Niemand heeft nog tijd"
  • "One Step"
  • "Primadonna"
  • "Probudi me"
  • "San Francisco"
  • "Sentiments songes"
  • "Sin rencor"
  • "Stemmen i mit liv"
  • "Zbudi se"
  • "Zeit"