Ireland Eurovision 2018 Rumours Bwitched Heathers Boyzone Samantha Mumba Westlife

It’s the country that spent much of the Eurovision pre-season making loud noises about its desire to shake things up for Lisbon.

But following the Eurovision Forum think-tank in August and an open call for songs in September, all has gone quiet in Ireland.

And the team at RTÉ aren’t the only ones staying silent. So far, punk legend and ex-Sex Pistols’ front man John Lyndon is the only high-profile name to confirm involvement in this year’s process. Although, it’s safe to assume that ex-Westlife singer Brian McFadden is out.

However, none of this has stopped the rumour mill from spinning. In recent weeks, social media and fan forums have been rife with speculation as to who could be flying the Irish tricolour in May.

We’ve gone through all the theories and pulled out the ones that appear to have at least some bit of substance to them. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that all these rumours are unconfirmed. They are not facts! RTÉ may be considering some, none, or all of the names listed below.

Until we know for sure, we can just speculate.

Samantha Mumba

Following Ireland’s semi-final elimination in Kyiv, Samantha Mumba set tongues wagging when she tweeted that she would “LOVE” to represent Ireland at Eurovision. And if social media speculation is to be believed, she’s now one of the names in contention for Lisbon. The singer is best known for a string of worldwide R&B hits in the early noughties, the biggest of which was “Gotta Tell You”.

Of course this isn’t the first time Samantha’s name has popped up in the Eurovision rumour mill. After scoring herself a top five chart comeback in the summer of 2013, rumours abounded that she was considering singing for Ireland at Eurovision 2014. Further fuel was added to the fire when it was announced that she would release a single the same week as the now defunct Eurosong national selection show. Ultimately, nothing came of the speculation.

B*Witched

Sticking with the early noughties, B*Witched have also cropped up in online forum discussions. After ten years apart, Ireland’s most successful girl group reformed for the 2013 series of the British TV show The Big Reunion. They released an EP off the back of the show, but they haven’t exactly been burning up the charts since. Band member Edele Lynch was a Eurosong mentor in 2012, so she obviously has a tolerance for the contest. The ladies are still best known for their debut single “C’est la Vie”, although any Eurovision effort would probably be more along the lines of their 2014 single “Champagne or Guinness”.

Heathers

The gossip isn’t just restricted to Ireland’s pop exports from the turn of the century. Supposedly “in the know” fans have also thrown Dublin duo Heathers into the mix.

Consisting of sisters Ellie and Louise Macnamara, the alternative folk-pop group has been active since 2007. Their breakout success came in 2010 when the Irish Tourist Board used their song “Remember When” in a major promotional campaign. The track became a big radio hit in Ireland and reached number 11 in the charts. Their most recent single “Midnight Train” dropped last August. In May, Louise sat on the Irish Eurovision jury. She gave her top marks to Bulgaria, Israel and Romania.

Unidentified Boyband

The final rumour to cross our path is frustratingly vague. Apparently, RTÉ have a shortlist of two acts. Different people have different lists, but all share one thing in common — an unidentified boyband. Supposedly, they’re a known group which enjoyed success a number of years back. Boyzone and Westlife immediately spring to mind. Both boast an array of Eurovision links – from interval performances to hosting gigs to song writing credits to actual participation.

However, one might be inclined to rule out Boyzone given that one of its members, Shane Lynch, is currently residing in Britain’s Celebrity Big Brother house. He could potentially remain there for most of January, which could hardly be considered optimal preparation for Eurovision. As for Westlife, their manager Louis Walsh has been teasing a reunion. But would the group want to do the contest so soon after band member Nicky Byrne’s poor placing in Stockholm two years ago?

Another possibility could be Brendan Murray’s former band Hometown. The six-piece were relatively successful in Ireland, securing two number ones. They split in 2016.

Moving away from the manufactured pop, an alternative theory is that rather than being a boyband it could simply be an all-male band. One fan suggested that rock outfit The Coronas might be a possibility. Apparently their schedule is clear and they follow Eurovision on Twitter.

What do you think of this list of unconfirmed rumours? Are they believable? Would you like to see any of them sing for Ireland in Lisbon? Let us know in the comments below.

Follow all of our Ireland Eurovision 2018 news.

45 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Aisling
Aisling
6 years ago

I think Heathers would be able to get us into the finals of Eurovision if they would do it. I think we need some young people and not someone who is outdated to represent us. I really would not like to see Johnny Rotten perform for Ireland, nor Boyzone, Westlife or Samantha Mumba. #HeathersforEurovision

Aisling
Aisling
6 years ago
Reply to  Aisling

Nope, it’s Sean O Shaughnessy that will represent us in the Eurovision. After listening to his songs I think that he could have a chance! The song he will perform, ‘Together’ is yet to come out.

R
R
6 years ago

It’s a shame we have so many good Irish artists and they continue to send ex-boyband members (who I wouldn’t even consider the best members) or artists past their sell by date!! They should send someone like LYRA who would stand out at Eurovision and is incredibly talented or LAOISE who I think would also stand out pretty well as being unique, same said for Roisín Ó!! Brian Deady, James Vincent McMorrow, Gavin James, All Tvvins, Hudson Taylor, Keywest and Picture This, all would be better than the artists we’ve sent in recent years (with the exception of Molly Sterling… Read more »

Escphbelgium
Escphbelgium
6 years ago

I’d prefer this song to represent Ireland in Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

Link: https://youtu.be/5H_M2L9nTUQ

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago

I’m gonna go waaaaaay out the box for someone we haven’t seen in quite a while, who is still quite young (30)…

…LAURA IZIBOR!

Jonas
Jonas
6 years ago

Le Galaxie need to represent Ireland.

I’m sure they are up to the job. Get them a strong lead vocalist, somebody with stage presence and charisma, a slightly poppier song than they usually do, and finish it off with a thisispopbaby staging.

Easy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8xs8cFait0

Cathal
Cathal
6 years ago

Promise you almost everyone on this comment section has never heard or listen to the music of these artists and are just using that as a reason to be negative about the act just soully because of how bad Ireland’s previous internal picks. Quite ignorant if you ask me.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Cathal

Not “everyone.”
But for some of the commenters, this is probably true.

Jonas
Jonas
6 years ago
Reply to  Cathal

Even if that were true, their negativity would not be unfounded considering that almost every name mentioned are long past their prime, and were never even really that good to begin with.

Except for Heathers. #TeamHeathers

Jonas
Jonas
6 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Oh, and the Coronas. I would never describe them as a “boyband”, though. I wonder if they see themselves as too “credible” for the contest, and I’d be (happily) surprised if they were chosen.

Cathal
Cathal
6 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Exactly as I said below, the vast majority of these bar possibly Samantha Mumba are non runners (and even Samantha is unlikely). Heathers and Coronas are good young acts but most on here are too focused on the negative to actually see this and it doesn’t fit their narrative of RTE.

brunowskii
brunowskii
6 years ago

It would be really weird to have Westlife in ESC…. then UK could pick Spice Girls…
But it wouldn’t necessary be something bad… ESC is almost always unpredictable

Ron
Ron
6 years ago
Reply to  brunowskii

It definitely won’t be Westlife anyway. Nicky Byrne said during the week he doesn’t see them reforming in the next year or two, maybe further down the line though.

Denis
Denis
6 years ago

once again Ireland seems to have missed what makes a successful entry, if the rumours are true!
It’s not about being safe and sending old former stars, it’s about being risky and sending something new and exciting. Not sending the same old Celtic folk stuff we have heard before but rather something we have never heard before. That is why Jedward did great: It was something new and fresh for Ireland

Cathal
Cathal
6 years ago
Reply to  Denis

Rumour is it’s the Heathers which I still neither old nor safe.

Ron
Ron
6 years ago
Reply to  Cathal

The Heathers would actually be very interesting, definitely far more so than the previous two entrants

Daniel_2017
Daniel_2017
6 years ago

NONE of these acts are exciting! Doesn’t Ireland want to come back to the present?!

Maya G
Maya G
6 years ago

Yeah, because if the UK taught us anything, it’s that hasbeens from the previous century are such a hot commodity.
Big mistake, Ireland. go for something fresh, not stale!

Cathal
Cathal
6 years ago
Reply to  Maya G

Stop focusing on the dated singers like Mumba,Westlife,Boyzone and more on the younger acts like Heathers & Coronas…this is the price Ireland pay for such a poor record, fans will ever see the worst in any of the selected acts.

Kermit
Kermit
6 years ago

Johnny Rotten please 🙂 Show Europe some punk rock legendary Ireland, that’s crediblity and quality 🙂 Rock on!

keisha
keisha
6 years ago
Reply to  Kermit

no

Thomasfan22
Thomasfan22
6 years ago

LYRA
PLEASE SELECT LYRA

R
R
6 years ago
Reply to  Thomasfan22

I couldn’t agree more! Although Lyra pretty much said no to doing Eurovision in a tweet last year, disappointing because I think she’s one of the few artists we could actually win with!!

Mario(o)Vision
Mario(o)Vision
6 years ago

Westlife! <3
#Dublin2019!

Myles
Myles
6 years ago

Along the lines of an all-Male group, perhaps Royseven? Don’t have much hope for my country with the names I’ve seen speculated so far though..

Cathal
Cathal
6 years ago
Reply to  Myles

Then listen to their music, which you clearly haven’t done if you aren’t interested in the options.

EscAU
EscAU
6 years ago

ooo controversy: dai laga from MESC is actually a backing track bought from this website that’s been up for ages, will it be disqualified? hahaha it says ‘justin bieber major lazer type’ song which is exactly what i thought it ripped off when I first heard it :S https://www.beatstars.com/beat/justin-bieber-major-lazer-type-come-alive-prod-by-lttb-326373

escDisney
escDisney
6 years ago
Reply to  EscAU

omg tea is that allowed????

Nacho EscAU
Nacho EscAU
6 years ago
Reply to  escDisney

well the track has been up since before september so probs not, and other people have paid to use it for their songs as well 😛

@euphoria1307
@euphoria1307
6 years ago
Reply to  Nacho EscAU

Well they sure did! Check out Kio Priest’s ‘We’ll Never Know’ – the track is very much the same as Aidan and it seems they bought it at the same market lol

Erasmus
Erasmus
6 years ago

TBH I love boybands, but please not a former band, but a current one. Anyway I don’t know what to expect from them, but I loved their 2010,2011, 2014, 2015 entries, but there were so many average entries like in 2013, 2016, 2017…

Jai
Jai
6 years ago

Can Ireland please stop consulting with Louis Walsh? Its clear at this point that his ideas for an Irish entry are outdated. He’s becoming the Ralph Siegel of Ireland at this point. ( I’m also tired of all the boybands/ former boyband members)

lb22
lb22
6 years ago

Celtic music please, not stars from the 90’s.

Mark
Mark
6 years ago

We want Johnny Rotten!

jawnbc
jawnbc
6 years ago

If we couldn’t get Mary Black in the 90s, The Coronas today would be close enough. Or Roisín O.

beccaboo1212
6 years ago

What about Annabel Sweeney? She performed with Celtic Woman at Dublin’s 3Arena a few months ago. Would you like to see Annabel Sweeney represent Ireland?

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  beccaboo1212

I like her voice. 🙂
Because she’s relatively unknown, she would be a “blank slate” choice for Ireland – that might be a good option this year, or it could backfire.

Personally I feel Molly Sterling deserves another chance one day – at the very least as a songwriter. x

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Sorry, that was poor English for me. The first paragraph refers to Anabel Sweeney. The second paragraph is about Molly Sterling. x

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago

The Coronas would be good.

irish esc
irish esc
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

agree

Maclaren
Maclaren
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Oh, the wonderful lyrics of…
I’ll take my medicine-
You’ll take the credit…

The story of our life, but they would’ve been awesome indeed

JM
JM
6 years ago

I just can’t see Boyzone or Westlife going for Eurovision but one boy band who came to my mind who had a few top 10 hits in the UK & Irish charts who could be the unidentified boy band is D-Side.

D
D
6 years ago

As horrible as it sounds, Ireland’s probably the country I would miss least at Eurovision. I don’t remember half of the songs they’ve sent this decade, and the ones I do remember are for bad reasons. All of these artists seem very bleh to me, but of course the song is what matters. Still, I just don’t have high hopes. Hopefully something Celtic-sounding will get picked.

Cathal
Cathal
6 years ago
Reply to  D

If they seem bleh you need get yourself clued in abit more.

Adam
Adam
6 years ago
Reply to  Cathal

Which have been good though? Since 2008, their only success has been Jedward, once, which is just embarrassing.

I’d say 2014 and 2015 have been their only decent entries within the past 10 or so years, which is really sad for a country with 7 wins.