On Sunday 23rd January at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin, former Irish Eurovision Song Contest winners gathered together for a special concert in aid of vctims of the Asian tsunami. A total of �90,000 was raised, and the money is still pouring in.
With the exception of Dana and Johnny Logan, all of Ireland's Eurovision winners took part. The event was co presented by two former Eurovision Song Contest presenters. Carrie Crowley who did the task in 1997 and Mary Kennedy, who presented the 1995 contest. Mary Kennedy wore both of her Eurovision outfits for the concert.
The show opened with Save Your Kisses For Me sung by Linda Martin, Niamh Kavanagh, Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan. This was then followed by Lina singing a bilingual version of Non Ho L'Eta, Niamh with Puppet On A String, while Paul and Charlie sang Boom Bang A Bang.
More Eurovision winning songs followed with Niamh performing Un Banc, Un Arbre, Une Rue, Linda with Apres Toi and Eimear Quinn with Tu Te Reconnaitras. The first half of the show then finished off with a performance of “Riverdance”.
In the second half Chris Doran, who represented Ireland last year, filled in for Johnny Logan by singing both What's Another Year? and Hold Me Now. Eimear sang Ein Bisschen Frieden, along with the DAYMS choir. Linda then gave her performance of her 1984 entry Terminal 3, and Niamh sung Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi. Then it was onto performances of their respective Irish winners from the 1990's, and then finally finishing off with everyone on stage giving a rendition of Waterloo.
If that wasn't enough, in between all of the above, the Gaiety Dancers interpreted some of the other Eurovision Song Contest winners including an excellent performance ofDiva.
The whole show was over three and a half hours long, and the audience really got involved, singing along to all of the songs and giving some of the performers a run for their money.
The show itself was recorded and a DVD will be produced, from which all proceeds will benefit the Eurovision For Asia fund. Anyone interested in obtaining the DVD should enquire to [email protected]. Prices and further information will follow later.
Many thanks to Peter Walsh for the information.
