Ireland are the joint-most successful nation in Eurovision Song Contest history with seven wins since the country made its debut in 1965.
Recording their first victory in 1970 with Dana's performance of "All Kinds of Everything", Ireland were triumphant twice more in the 1980s courtesy of Johnny Logan before emerging as the dominant force in Eurovision during the 1990s.
Ireland won four of the five editions between 1992 and 1996, topping the tables with "Why Me?" by Linda Martin (1992), "In Your Eyes" by Niamh Kavanagh (1993), "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" by Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan (1994), and "The Voice" by Eimear Quinn (1996).
However, despite finishing in the top five 18 times, Ireland have failed to record a top five finish at Eurovision since 1997 in a barren spell by their decorated standards.
Since 2000, Ireland have failed to qualify for the Finals on 12 occasions.
Butch Moore was Ireland's first representative at Eurovision with his performance of "I'm Walking the Streets in the Rain", finishing sixth.
The country wouldn't have to wait too long for its first success and after Sean Dunphy finished runner-up in 1967, it was Dana that went a step further by claiming victory in 1970.
Johnny Logan holds the record for most individual Eurovision wins after he was triumphant in 1980 with "What's Another Year?" before returning in 1987 and finishing top of the pile with "Hold Me Now".
Logan is one of seven individuals to represent Ireland at Eurovision on more than one occasion: Tommy and Jimmy Swarbrigg (as "The Swarbriggs" in 1975 and part of "The Swarbriggs Plus Two" in 1977), Linda Martin (1984, 1992), Niamh Kavanagh (1993, 2010), Maxi (as a soloist in 1973 and as part of Sheeba in 1981) and most recently Jedward in 2011 and 2012.
Ireland's best finish in the 21st century is sixth, achieved by Eamonn Toal in 2000 and Bambie Thug in 2024.
Every Irish entry in Eurovision
Year | Artist | Song | Final |
|---|---|---|---|
1965 | Butch Moore | "I'm Walking the Streets in the Rain" | 6 |
1966 | Dickie Rock | "Come Back to Stay" | 4 |
1967 | Sean Dunphy | "If I Could Choose" | 2 |
1968 | Pat McGeegan | "Chance of a Lifetime" | 4 |
1969 | Muriel Day | "The Wages of Love" | 7 |
1970 | Dana | "All Kinds of Everything" | 1 |
1971 | Angela Farrell | "One Day Love" | 11 |
1972 | Sandie Jones | "Ceol an Ghrá" | 15 |
1973 | Maxi | "Do I Dream?" | 10 |
1974 | Tina Reynolds | "Cross Your Heart" | 7 |
1975 | The Swarbriggs | "That's What Friends Are For" | 9 |
1976 | Red Hurley | "When?" | 10 |
1977 | The Swarbriggs Plus Two | "It's Nice to Be in Love Again" | 3 |
1978 | Colm C. T. Wilkinson | "Born to Sing" | 5 |
1979 | Cathal Dunne | "Happy Man" | 5 |
1980 | Johnny Logan | "What's Another Year?" | 1 |
1981 | Sheeba | "Horoscopes" | 5 |
1982 | The Duskeys | "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" | 11 |
1984 | Linda Martin | "Terminal 3" | 2 |
1985 | Maria Christian | "Wait Until the Weekend Comes" | 6 |
1986 | Luv Bug | "You Can Count On Me" | 4 |
1987 | Johnny Logan | "Hold Me Now" | 1 |
1988 | Jump the Gun | "Take Him Home" | 8 |
1989 | Kiev Connolly and the Missing Passengers | "The Real Me" | 18 |
1990 | Liam Reilly | "Somewhere in Europe" | 2 |
1991 | Kim Jackson | "Could It Be That I'm in Love?" | 10 |
1992 | Linda Martin | "Why Me?" | 1 |
1993 | Niamh Kavanagh | "In Your Eyes" | 1 |
1994 | Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan | "Rock 'n' Roll Kids" | 1 |
1995 | Eddie Friel | "Dreamin'" | 14 |
1996 | Eimear Quinn | "The Voice" | 1 |
1997 | Marc Roberts | "Mysterious Woman" | 2 |
1998 | Dawn Martin | "Is Always Over Now?" | 9 |
1999 | The Mullans | "When You Need Me" | 17 |
2000 | Eamonn Toal | "Millennium of Love" | 6 |
2001 | Gary O'Shaughnessy | "Without Your Love" | 21 |
2003 | Mickey Harte | "We've Got the World" | 11 |
2004 | Chris Doran | "If My World Stopped Turning" | 22 |
2005 | Donna and Joe | "Love?" | Failed to qualify |
2006 | Brian Kennedy | "Every Song Is a Cry for Love" | 10 |
2007 | Dervish | "They Can't Stop the Spring" | 24 |
2008 | Dustin the Turkey | "Irelande Douze Pointe" | Failed to qualify |
2009 | Sinéad Mulvey and Black Daisy | "Et Cetera" | |
2010 | Niamh Kavanagh | "It's for You" | 23 |
2011 | Jedward | "Lipstick" | 8 |
2012 | Jedward | "Waterline" | 19 |
2013 | Ryan Dolan | "Only Love Survives" | 26 |
2014 | Can-linn ft. Kasey Smith | "Heartbeat" | Failed to qualify |
2015 | Molly Sterling | "Playing with Numbers" | |
2016 | Nicky Byrne | "Sunlight" | |
2017 | Brendan Murray | "Dying to Try" | |
2018 | Ryan O'Shaughnessy | "Together" | 16 |
2019 | Sarah McTernan | "22" | Failed to qualify |
2020 | Lesley Roy | "Story of My Life" | Contest cancelled |
2021 | Lesley Roy | "Maps" | Failed to qualify |
2022 | Brooke | "That's Rich" | |
2023 | Wild Youth | "We Are One" | |
2024 | Bambie Thug | "Doomsday Blue" | 6 |
2025 | Emmy | "Laika Party" | Failed to qualify |
