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NICKY BYRNE HAS been selected by RTÉ to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest next May.
The former Westlife star and current 2FM DJ will sing at the Eurovision semi-final on either the 10 or 12 May at the Globe Arena in Stockholm with the aim of qualifying for the contest proper on Saturday 14 May.
It had been rumoured for some time that Byrne was set to represent the country at this year’s contest.
His selection by RTÉ marks a departure from the competition-and-mentor style format used to select the Irish contestant for the last eight years.
The song, ‘Sunlight’, has been co-written by Byrne with Wayne Hector (who has written for artists such as One Direction and Britney Spears) and composer Ronan Hardiman (whose credits include the soundtracks for Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames shows).
Hector has been voted one of the top 25 songwriters in the world, and numbers among his credits seven of Westlife’s number one singles.
Byrne seems delighted with his latest gig describing the Eurovision as “a tv show and song contest like no other”.
“It always brought great excitement to our house down through the years,” he says of the contest.
I am honoured RTÉ have chosen me and believe in this song like I do. I will give it my best shot.
Hector seems no less enthused, describing ‘Sunlight’ as “a song that we all love and believe in”.
We’ve written a song which is a great showcase for Nicky’s voice, so I’m looking forward to the night.
Ireland’s performance at the contest (in the years that we’ve made it as far as the final – something we’ve only managed five times in the last 11 years) has been less than stellar in recent times.
Even Jedward struggled to make an impression, so there may be quite a weight of expectation on the former Westlifer should he make the final.
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Rte are in a little world of their own!
Eirlande nil point
Who paying for therelittle world only Tax Payer again.
Wonder how he got that job
Nil point
So sending a turkey once wasn’t enough?
Make it stop!!!
We really need to stop wasting money. Pull out of euro vision and shut down 2fm.
I am surprised the Gay Byrnes of this world did not push him in before now
Another turkey!
FFS!
Scrapping the bottom of the barrel again Rte?
He as smug and as hateful as his father in law.
That’s a bit harsh. Nicky is a harmless divil.
Everyone though that about his father in law as well till he heard about his luck with the horses.
In fairness to Nicky what has he ever done that is hateful. Get a grip
I Guarantee his Buddy and the rest if the ” judges ” on the voice would run from the chair never mind turn around listening to that! Send Dunphy and Giles singing ‘my lovely horse’!
Good luck with that so. .
It’s going to be awful to hear him miss every one of those high notes when singing live. And the song doesn’t even have a key change in it – that’s eurovision 101 lads!!!
It’ll be like Jedward, the “backing singers” will carrying the tune.
He hasn’t a note in his head .. Why send him
Nicky seems a decent lad with a decent voice, and great pedigree in the song writing team.
However, given evolution of voting arrangements in contest during past decade or so, particularly amongst Eastern bloc nations, Nicky would be well advised to hire an aggressive, streetwise, cunning, ruthless, and devious strategist with experience in matters of this nature.
How’s grandpa Bertie’s 2016 schedule shaping up?
The Eastern Bloc fallacy raises its ugly head! The Scandinavian Bloc has had more of a stranglehold on wins since 2000 and in the last 5years only 1 Eastern country has won.
Not a bad song in fairness. Would like to hear him singing it live cause I didn’t know this lad could sing. In westlife he never sang ( I don’t think he did anyhow). With singing you either have it or not. It’s not something you can learn.
My lovely horse running through the…sunshine?
He’s so bland, like the original Pringles of singers.
Irish corruption at its best, in a place that broadcasts programs on people who break rules for personal gain. Will the Dorector General resign? Never — these people just laugh at the public like Flannery and Kearns did in Rehab. Same values in RTE.
Nicky I love ya , but. Noooooooooooo
About time we send some one decent made a fool of our selfs good few years…. Good chance this year with a legend like him. Best of luck to him.
Decent? He can’t sing.
That’s gotta be sarcasm?
Please don’t insult legends he certainly is not one.
Chill out guys im having a laugh and so will Europe on the night!
Another waste of tax payers money..
Watched a minute of the video. Seemed to be a lot of close-ups of the inside of his mouth. Is that what the young people are into now?
Regardless of who goes on to represent us, people are gonna have something negative to say. How about let him get on with it and we all go off about our own daily lives.
Or how about we stop handing out taxpayer funded jollies.
You are right in that someone always will have something negative to say but ar least previous entrants actually competed and won.
If the 160 a year was reduced to 155 by not entering euro vision – that gets my vote.
Shame on RTE for denying an up and coming artist a chance.
National Song Contest where is the competition? Typical rte which can’t see beyond their talantless gene pool of washed up “stars” when recruiting. Ray Darcy, Marty Whelan, Bibi Baskin…
The song was “co-written” by Byrne – Translation: He happened to stroll into the recording studio while the grown-ups were composing the song, rubbed his hands together and said “How are we getting on lads? Finished yet?”, and then buggered off somewhere.
Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.Not in my name. Not in my name.
Good luck Nicky. Looking forward to hearing your song. Eurovision in my opinion has lost it’s way and could potentially be a negative experience for a serious artist. Don’t take it too personally.
Terrible song.The lyrics are all mixed up,what’s I’ll be your lover boy got to with standing in the sunlight. .so many mixed signals in one song Just terrible
I wonder what poor Jenny Greene, his co presenter on 2fm really thinks. You’d imagine she is very anti Eurovision – and now she has to keep a straight face while this fella ‘competes’.
Burtee might have dropped an oul brown envelope into rte to seal the deal.
I quie like Nicky on the radio, but block voting means we won’t win.
I think sending a insider guy who’s only discernable talent was getting a trial with Leeds FC will be the reason we don’t win.
I think my granny could play for Leeds at this stage.
He’ll have a better chance in drag!
More bollocks!
He’s a presenter , not a DJ . best of luck to him anyway .
He’s not even a singer!
It’s in Stockholm this year.
Does that mean that the coverage will be in arabic?
Stopped watching it when it became a gayfeast
RTE could save a few bob if they have Nicky Byrne both represent and present the Eurovision song contest at the same time? How’s that for TV licence cost efficiency!
Not one bit of sunlight in the video. Also telling people to touch and kiss who they want, thought that was illegal. Maybe what happened in germany was because they all got a glimpse of nickys new video.
Great song, 12 points from Switzerland…go Ireland!!!
He’s really good, like a modern day Danny Kaye
I laugh how everyone has a go at Eurovision yet it will still be in the top rated programmes at the end of the year.
Nathan Carter
Worth having a bet on him to win.
This has a really good chance. It will get my 12 points from Switzerland!
Even Bertie won’t be able to fix this one
A cross between byran Adams and jason Donovan with a bit of karaoke sing along lyrics, my favourite line was “I will be your lover boy” hope the wife doesnt see that one. Where did he find this song under his socks and beside his jocks?
He looks so tough on that motorbike…..lol
Why does he always look like he just sucked a lemon…
I predict that it would’ve used as a torture method by the CIA in a couple of years
The big boys club of RTE strike again…this mediocre song sung by a washed out ex boy band member does not represent any Irish person or country…..
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