It may be fast approaching it’s 20th birthday but Riverdance is still going strong judging by the numbers which turned out in Dublin on Sunday (21 July) to set a new world record for the longest Riverdance line.

The performers lined the river Liffey around the Samuel Beckett Bridge, just minutes away from The O2 Arena (formerly The Point) where Riverdance was first performed during the interval of Eurovision 1994. Jean Butler, the original lead female dancer, was present to show everyone how it was done.

A spokesperson for the event’s organisers claimed that more than 2,000 people took part, although invigilators for Guiness World Records were only able to count 1,693. Regardless, the previous world record of 652 people in Nashville, Tennessee was well and truly smashed.

It has been a good week for Riverdance. Just days earlier in a poll conducted by cable tv provider UPC, it was named as the most memorable moment ever on Irish tv. The top 5 is listed below (thankfully there’s no sign of that pesky Romanian – y’all know who I’m talking about ;)):

1 Riverdance at Eurovision 1994
2 9/11
3 Darren’s death in “Love/Hate”
4 Katie Taylor wins Gold at London 2012
5 Miley’s affair on “Glenroe”

Entertaining as it was, it’s hard to imagine this year’s interval act, or any previous or future ones, having the same impact after 20 years.

Padraig Jude contributed this report from Ireland. Follow him on Twitter at @PadraigJude. And while you’re at it, like our Facebook page to stay up-to-date with the latest Eurovision news and gossip.

Photo: RTÉ

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Zachary Thomas
10 years ago

Miss Petra Mede could outshine all those amateurs! 😀 (Well….)