Ireland IRELAND 2018 - Ryan O'Shaughnessy - Together

[RainyWoods]

You know, in 2014 we had a really good song which was imo a more deserving winner than the actual winner, who purely won because of a 'gimmick' of putting on a dress while wearing a beard at the same time. That song wasn't anything special either. At least I can relate to Irelands 'LGBT' message to a far greater extend than I ever could with Conchita Wurst's drag queen act. The same people who were screaming their lungs out when she won are now the biggest complainers on Ireland using 'Gay dancers' to qualify (not saying you are).

It's Eurovision, staging is a big part in order to do well. Just ask Russia 2016 or Sweden in general. To what extend is something a gimmick anyway? You can accusse half of the participants this evening of using gimmicks (Finland, Israel, Belarus, Estonia). In the end the song imo is good, the singing was flawless and the staging was atmospheric and very well done, so a deserved qualifier. Yes some other acts also deserved to go through, but this has been called the 'semi-final of death' for a reason...

In 2014 I said the very moment that "Rise Like A Phoenix" was announced that it could win on the strength of the composition alone. People said it wouldn't win because no one is going to vote for a drag queen in a dress with a beard. There's a big difference for me between Ireland 2018 and Austria 2014. Both had a "gimmick" there to get people talking. The difference though is Conchita was the embodiment of the "gimmick", lived as this person for years, and what was put forward there visually was matched with a song where the message was very clear and personal. Ireland is a straight man with a girlfriend singing a simple love song, but has taken the song down a route with the staging that's going to get people talking, as is already happening. I'm not saying these actions aren't sincere on his end, and there's of course absolutely nothing at all wrong with the performance. I'm just saying that I think it helped big time.

Also the performance was done in quite a subtle and masterful way. Not in your face enough for anyone perhaps older and with prejudice to have noticed what it was doing, but understandable enough for anyone else who may care to feel something positive from it. The most massive cheers of the night as two men appear on a bridge together for a song the fan community ignored and negtively critiqued in the months leading up to the contest? I'm already reading comments from people saying how great it was for them to feel represented. Conchita was the most in your face and controversial winner (perhaps even contestant) ever. It could have very likely gone either way. My grandma who would have been around 87 at the time loved Conchita. Ireland meanwhile have in my opinion taken something extremely drab and swanked it up with a very relevant in our current climate lick of paint and it's done wonders. No one imagined Ireland as a qualifier again, sending the same type of singer and song that hasn't been working out for them in previous years, but they've been very clever here, and I figured it out before last night even.

 

[Lietuvis]

Conchita was the most in your face and controversial winner (perhaps even contestant) ever.

 

[RainyWoods]

[MENTION=14126]Lietuvis[/MENTION]

Well, actually I thought of Silvia Night as I was writing my post but her whole act was a parody and she was playing a character, something for some reason the media couldn't work out at the time. She was stirring around a big spoon on purpose and playing a role. I remember the Silvia Night thing rather well (it was from when I first started properly following the contest actually) but I think the reaction and debate surrounding Conchita was on a much larger and more serious scale, and it was something that went outside the fan bubble.

 

[popavapeur]

He's charting and well. I think we're living in a planet in a bubble in a galaxy in a bubble of another galaxy cause we just didn't see this coming. And if the winners of the semi are Lithuania and Ireland ? we're gonna be shocked AF. Like big reality check for the ESC bubble.

 

[tararaaam]

That was cute!

 

[AlekS]

As always I was watching a rerun with my parents. My mom looked me right in the eye and said:
"He's got such an awesome dancers

They're really adored by the audience in the venue

"

love her He was her 4th fave after Austria, Cyprus & Estonia.

We both agreed that Ryan's vocals sucked tho.

 

[Lietuvis]

We both agreed that Ryan's vocals sucked tho.

I thought he had really good vocals

 

[Vektor]

I am surprised about that nobody posted this reaction here : https://twitter.com/ColmFlynn1/status/993973101967835140

 

[EscGeek]

I am surprised about that nobody posted this reaction here : https://twitter.com/ColmFlynn1/status/993973101967835140

this is GOLD 3

 

[mauve]

I am surprised about that nobody posted this reaction here : https://twitter.com/ColmFlynn1/status/993973101967835140

And the guy ... where you only see the feet, he laughs his butt off.

 

[Ezio]

I have to admit that I did not pay attention in the semifinal and was chatting on skype. This song is just boring background music, just there, does not hurt.

Now I watched it on youtube, and thought too, that the staging was really nice and elevated the song. But I don't like this gaysploitation for points. It's cheaper than Moldova.

 

[ag89]

He's charting and well. I think we're living in a planet in a bubble in a galaxy in a bubble of another galaxy cause we just didn't see this coming. And if the winners of the semi are Lithuania and Ireland ? we're gonna be shocked AF. Like big reality check for the ESC bubble.

That's the thing with ESC bubble year after year - let's remember harsh comments about Albania in 2012 for example (she came 5th at the end), the Netherlands in 2014 (even after the rehearsals press believed they can qualify only as 9th or 10th) , I mean basically you have songs every year that are sooo bottom with ESC bubble, including press, and then they come 4th, 5th etc. I will just say this; people, watch out for Ireland this year.

 

[Milos-BC]

This is the biggest shock for me personally as I find the song extremely bland. But if people like it, it's deserved, I guess. Anyway, any result above above some 15th place would be way too much for this entry.

 

[musicfan]

I have to admit that I did not pay attention in the semifinal and was chatting on skype. This song is just boring background music, just there, does not hurt.

Now I watched it on youtube, and thought too, that the staging was really nice and elevated the song. But I don't like this gaysploitation for points. It's cheaper than Moldova.

People probably think he looks cute, that's the only reason I can think for the qualification.

 

[DanielLuis]

That's the thing with ESC bubble year after year - let's remember harsh comments about Albania in 2012 for example (she came 5th at the end), the Netherlands in 2014 (even after the rehearsals press believed they can qualify only as 9th or 10th) , I mean basically you have songs every year that are sooo bottom with ESC bubble, including press, and then they come 4th, 5th etc. I will just say this; people, watch out for Ireland this year.

This is a question I have. How come the press following the rehearsals didn't hype up Ireland and especially Lithuania more after watching the full thing on TV countless times. The moment the Lithuanian performance happened it was obvious she was a 100% qualifier and even possibly a winner of the semi-final (or at least top 3), yet the press following the rehearsals never hyped her up at all.

 

[toinou03]

This is a question I have. How come the press following the rehearsals didn't hype up Ireland and especially Lithuania more after watching the full thing on TV countless times. The moment the Lithuanian performance happened it was obvious she was a 100% qualifier and even possibly a winner of the semi-final (or at least top 3), yet the press following the rehearsals never hyped her up at all.

That's an esc fan thing. Everyone follow what thinks the other. Very few independent minds (unlike escunited forum ) and watch the performance taking into account the national selection, videoclip, the song you liked in Melodifestivalen that failed miserably, the hug you had on the red carpet and all, while you should just lose it all and get fresh and new... I'm always very amused when our commentators that discover the songs tell about them. They sometimes are totally indifferent to hyped songs and praise others...

When I saw the short clip of rehearsals, I was sure it could be a shock qualifier (was less certain about Ieva. Had to watch it live ) because I took into account only what I could see. A nice singer, a cute song and a very narrative draw (what it lacked in a lot of numbers...)

 

[Sammy]

This is my biggest grower this year!

 

[popavapeur]

This is a question I have. How come the press following the rehearsals didn't hype up Ireland and especially Lithuania more after watching the full thing on TV countless times.

What's in bold is my answer. We hear/listen/watch the songs so many times that we loose what's unique. And we meet the songs with only a video at the beginning so we all have the feeling of our first listen while viewers meet the song on the SF/Final and they don't have in mind what we all have.

 

[ag89]

Ireland is now 7th on betting odds. x12s

https://eurovisionworld.com/odds/eurovision

 

[Earthland2]

I wonder what caused this now suddenly ????