Last month Irish broadcaster RTE revealed that Louis Walsh had handpicked former Hometown member Brendan Murray to represent Ireland at Eurovision 2017.

Artist with mega potential? Check! Now Louis is on the hunt for a song and has said publicly that two-time Eurovision winner Johnny Logan may be just the man to write it.

Logan won the contest as singer in 1980 with “What’s Another Year” and in 1987 with “Hold Me Now” — a song he wrote himself. In 1992 he penned Linda Martin’s winning number “Why Me”.

Walsh, who previously managed both Johnny and Linda, told the Irish Mail on Sunday:

“I would love if Johnny Logan writes a song for us, that would be great. He knows the formula and what works – there’s nobody out there better than him who knows how to win. If he doesn’t, I will get one from England from a great songwriter. I’m confident about that.”

The last Eurovision song Johnny wrote was Airforce’s “How Does It Feel”, which placed second in the Dutch national selection in 2005.

Louis’ comments are surprising given that he previously said he did not want the song to be written by a veteran or internationally. On December 16, during the artist reveal on The Late Late Show, he said:

“We are looking for songs. I am asking Irish songwriters to write a hit song, so we can win Eurovision. Or at least to take part in it. At least, qualify. The talent is here, the writers are here. We just need to get the right singer and the right song and go back to basics. We have amazing young writers here, there are so many people on YouTube.”

Walsh also commented about RTÉ’s failure to qualify over the last few years:

“RTE needs us to qualify this year because they have sent the wrong people in the past. You have to send a great song and a great singer. Every other country in Europe sends their best singer and their best artist and takes it seriously. There’s a global audience now and you can’t get away with sending a half-arsed entry. Jedward came eighth and if they can do it, anyone can.”

Do you think the Irish Eurovision 2017 entry should be written by Johnny Logan? Let us know in the comments below!

Follow all Ireland Eurovision news here

21 Comments
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Michael Gannon
7 years ago

This is Michael Gannon junior here I would like Johnny Logan to write a hit song for Brendon Murray for Eurovision song for 2017 and give Brendon Murray to sing the right song for the Eurovision and that song should be called memories of Ireland

Cathal
Cathal
7 years ago

Because she will get nothing but wall to wall abuse, what’s the fun in that?

David
7 years ago

why doesn’t Ireland send, I don’t know, extravagant Irish pop princess Róisín Murphy.

just wondering

cheesecake
cheesecake
7 years ago

Well this sounds anything but promising, unfortunately.
But they’ve still got more than two months of course.

esc1234
esc1234
7 years ago

This seems like a huge flop. Its amazing that irish people havent realize that they are thinking completely wrong…

Cathal
Cathal
7 years ago

@Robyn another, saying things like his voice is girly/feminine. Not very classy imo, in fact quite rude by the fans.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
7 years ago

As far as I’m aware, the songwriting process is still open. So if Johnny Logan wishes to submit a song and Louis Walsh chooses it, then that is still possible. But, this shouldn’t discourage good songwriters from entering songs. x

PP
PP
7 years ago

With good ballad Ireland with Logan song have chance to be in TOP 10 maybe even TOP 5, maybe same result like Belgium 2010, The Netherlands 2014 and song written by Logan gave Ireland some few votes from juries.

an esc fan
an esc fan
7 years ago

France send Lisa Angell in 2015, because her song sounded like Marie Myriam’s who won for France in 1977. Now Ireland wants Johnny Logan to be their composer.
Get over old glory because it became a prison !
And I don’t trust Louis Walsh, he is not such a guru only because he can promote a song until teenagers are brainwashed. ESC is a real test even if afterwards 42 out of 43 countries will scream that they were robbed.
Apart from that, I think that Brendan Murray is talented and he can became the next Alexander Rybak.

Azaad
Azaad
7 years ago

Get a songwriter who at least penned ONE hit this year!

Racal
Racal
7 years ago

Oh great, a song written by a guy who was remotely successful 30 years ago… What a perfect way to place last in the semi-final.

This kid has talent and an awesome voice, just give him a punchy, modern song already! I can imagine that something à la Ed Sheeran would suit him well.

Cathal
Cathal
7 years ago

@Hans

I was the only one who brought up his voice? Your bait is too easy to read.

Hans
Hans
7 years ago

Cathal, the only person who has brought up Brendan’s voice is YOU so maybe you’re the one who has an issue with it

Until I read your comment i didn’t even know there was an issue with Brendan’s voice. You’re behaving more like a troll than a fan

Ron
Ron
7 years ago

I suspect this is a misquote or Louis was just joking with the interviewer. To the best of my knowledge, Louis has had no contact with Logan for many, many years. Perhaps the reporter asked him “Would you like Johnny Logan to write the song for you?” and he replied “Yes, I’d love it, that would be great” and that’s where this non story has appeared from.

Cathal
Cathal
7 years ago

@Jonas, just you wait. Maybe insulting the kid’s voice has gotten a bit boring
and they are just finding new thing’s to troll about, time will tell.

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

Cathal, I think you’re imagining things. Please point to the comments you describe. Brendan’s voice hasn’t been mentioned once in the commens so far, so…yeah.

MarioMario
7 years ago

Not too excited about it.

Cathal
Cathal
7 years ago

The Ireland articles should the called the neutral troll section as it always seems to be the same bigots who call themselves welcoming and opening to different people insulting this young man because he has a different voice….well done I hope your all proud of yourselves.

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

Louis will “get one from England”? How about Sweden? Or shock horror…Ireland?

It’s a shame if he goes outside of Ireland to find a song. Louis really needs to broaden his scope of imagination – Johnny Logan or England. Great options.

Lanti
7 years ago

Okay, so he was successful in the 80’s and 90’s. But has he written anything successful in recent years (outside the ESC world)? In the case that he does end up writing Brendan’s entry, I hope he collabs with a more recent songwriter.

Felix
Felix
7 years ago

I think they ought to give Johnny Logan a pass. He had the winning formula in the 80’s and very early 90’s, not in 2017. His last attempt, as you have already stated, failed to make an impact in the Dutch NF, and for some reason I don’t think that’ll change on the continental stage