It’s the country that’s drip-fed us tidbits of information for the past several weeks. But it’s almost time for Irish fans to be put out of their misery — Ireland’s Eurovision 2020 entry will be revealed on 5 March.

RTÉ broke the news on Thursday afternoon, just hours after one of the broadcaster’s most popular DJs teased a “whopper”.

Ireland will release its Eurovision 2020 song on 5 March

The Irish song will receive its worldwide debut on RTÉ 2FM’s Breakfast with Doireann and Eoin. An exact time has not been confirmed, but the programme normally runs from 6.00 to 9.00 GMT (7:00 to 10:00 CET).

Then, one day later, the song will be performed live for the first time on The Late Late Show on RTÉ One television.

Ireland’s entry is a “whopper”

The confirmation from RTÉ comes mere hours after one of its own confirmed that the entry is a “whopper”. Tracy Clifford made the bold claim while discussing the UK’s song from James Newman on her 2FM show.

Listening to “One Last Breath”, she mutters “nah”. Elaborating, she says “I’ll tell you why. I’ve heard the Irish one. It’s a whopper this year”.

Just in case anyone was in any doubt, she repeats “whopper”, adding “way better than [the British song]… it’s not working out for me this year”.

“Ireland, in with a very good chance. Absolutely!”.

In conclusion, “It’s very, very good. We may not beat them in rugby but we’ll definitely beat them in the Eurovision”.

You can here her comments at the 2:05:30 mark.

Ireland: What we know so far

Clifford’s “whopper” comments come just a couple of weeks after Ireland’s new creative director, ThisIsPopBaby’s Philly McMahon teased an “almighty bop” that’s “up there” with Loreen’s “Euphoria”.

Meanwhile, two acts have been top of the rumour list — Lesley Roy and ELM.

According to tabloid reports, Roy is the chosen act.

Many fans were banking on ELM, but the group recently confirmed tour dates which clash with Eurovision rehearsals. While first run-throughs are underway on 4 May, they’ll be playing a gig in London.

Are you excited to discover Ireland’s act? Will it match up to expectations? Let us know in the comments.

Follow all of our Ireland Eurovision 2020 news.

42 Comments
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Craig
Craig
4 years ago

Building hype to this level is really unusual for Ireland. So, they must be pretty confident they are on to something. Fingers crossed!

James
James
4 years ago

2018

Fun or ban?
Fun or ban?
4 years ago

Padraig, we missed you last year. Where have you been hiding? #real

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago

I’m confident it will be good, but I’m not so confident of a good result. To these people, it probably seems so great only by comparison to their previous entries like 22 or Dying to Try or Sunlight…if Chameleon or Replay was the chosen song for Ireland, I’m sure they would be hailing it too – but in the end, those songs ended up on the right side of the scoreboard. The rugby comment was stupid too, as sure, England beat Ireland during the current 6 Nations tournament, but Ireland actually comfortably beat Wales and Scotland. The UK is not… Read more »

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

I said I’m confident it will be good, and I hope it’s even better than that.

UmBv
UmBv
4 years ago

They are probably just trying to hype up irish people with a friendly-ish rivalry with the UK. They aren’t expecting people from all over Europe to hear this and analyse what they said about the entry

Ron
Ron
4 years ago
Reply to  UmBv

Also, Tracy has no connection to the Irish entry or the selection process. She’s speaking purely as someone who has heard both songs (and why shouldn’t she give an opinion? She’s a music DJ after all, talking about music is her job).

UmBv
UmBv
4 years ago
Reply to  Ron

exactly

Magpie
Magpie
4 years ago

If you’re going to say it’s better than the UK, you better deliver

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago

a “whopper” that’s “better than the uk” jeez wow thanks for the precious hint, irish radio dj

Fionn
Fionn
4 years ago

It had better be good. It would be really embarrassing if it’s a flop after all this

Banan banan
Banan banan
4 years ago

Germany and UK hyped their entries and in the end it was awful, i don’t think that ireland will qualify there are for uk will be higher

Fionn
Fionn
4 years ago

Are u telling me you support the ira? After all the news about wars and violence and seeing how that effects people, you still would go onto a Eurovision website and comment that filth. Some people are disgusting. Be ashamed of yourself

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago
Reply to  Fionn

You were lecturing Edeltraut above, yet what you posted is much worse.

Hector
Hector
4 years ago

I really dont want to be negative, because I’m always up for weaker countries (I mean those who usually dont do that well ) to have a good result. But man, the hype building around this one is too much for me. Plus, comparing it to other entries before it is even released is not the best thing to do imo.

Let’s see if the song is up to their words when it comes out.

Campbell Grace
Campbell Grace
4 years ago

This is just embarrassing now with the amount of “hype” they’ve apparently created.

Nicolas
Nicolas
4 years ago

Whopper. So this will be fast food music.

poe-tay-toe-chips
poe-tay-toe-chips
4 years ago

Ireland better deliver on its hype and promises because with what everyone else has been sending so far, the bar is not even very high.

Robert
Robert
4 years ago

TENSION IS BUILDING! Expecting a lot

EZz
EZz
4 years ago

Yeah I don’t think she should bash the Uk’s entry considering the UK mostly rank Irelands entry’s very high, so yeah don’t get too cocky, It might be great, but wait for us to hear the song first..

Aisling
Aisling
4 years ago
Reply to  EZz

Doesn’t matter. UK aren’t voting in our semi so hold your horses!

Lokh
Lokh
4 years ago

ELM will in final pass through gays.
as in 2018

Kuhkatz
Kuhkatz
4 years ago

„It‘s a whopper!“

*oneweeklater*

I‘M DYING TO TRYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Olivia Mac Arthur
Olivia Mac Arthur
4 years ago
Reply to  Kuhkatz

Ironically written by James Newman. But since its an uptempo contemporary pop song at least it’ll be more fun than that. Then again, I had a soft spot for dying to try. Dunno why.

Fatima
Fatima
4 years ago

Not a good idea to instantly sneer at the song from a country which provided your only televotes last year

ESCCork
ESCCork
4 years ago
Reply to  Fatima

I would say it is only typical Ireland – UK banter, we have a friendly rivalry in sports events and Eurovision as well

Fionn
Fionn
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCCork

I’m from Cork too haha i don’t know anyone from Cork who likes the Eurovision

Olivia Mac Arthur
Olivia Mac Arthur
4 years ago
Reply to  Fatima

It’s a very Irish to UK thing to do. It’s all in good spirits. As long as Ireland gets more points in the semi than UK does in the final, its considered a win for us. UK will do it to us, sometimes Australia will get in on the fun.

Xoxoxo
Xoxoxo
4 years ago

Everyone knows it will be ELM, their concert will be normally postponed. This act looks crazy and so much “gayish” but it can be original and interesting. We will see.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago

We’re seeing a serial escalation here. Spain built up sufficient hype and basically lived up to it. France built up a ton of hype and seriously let folks down. The UK built hype through the methods in which they chose and announced the song, and basically lived up to it. Now Ireland can either meet/exceed this insane hype they’ve built up or suffer.

Olivia Mac Arthur
Olivia Mac Arthur
4 years ago
Reply to  Joe

This hype is mainly through fans and director Phillip McMahon. Rte itself is mostly silent on the hype train. Announcing thisispopbaby was the last thing they said about eurovision up until now. Just something to note. They certainly haven’t reached French levels yet.

Hello hi
Hello hi
4 years ago

This will be soo embarrassing if not true .. I’m surprised at RTE saying “in it to win it” .. surely they ain’t as their finances are horrific ..
careful Ireland

UmBv
UmBv
4 years ago
Reply to  Hello hi

Rte never said that lmao

ESCFanGA
ESCFanGA
4 years ago

I’m pretty skeptical for a couple of reasons.
1. Claiming that your song is better than the UK is a very low bar.
2. France hyped their entry too and claimed that it would make you forget all of the other songs and yet we all know that what they had was actually terrible.
3. Claiming that your song is just as good as or even better than Euphoria is a bit too far in my opinion.

Olivia Mac Arthur
Olivia Mac Arthur
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCFanGA

It was a radio presenter giving her own thoughts. I highly doubt Michael Kealy scripted her to say it.

Olivia Mac Arthur
Olivia Mac Arthur
4 years ago
Reply to  ESCFanGA

1. That was a radio presenter giving her own and feelings about both songs, not an rte scripted hype machine. UK presenters have been saying similar things about their act even though I like it. 2. Rte isn’t hyping half as much as France. They advertised it in August, closed submissions in September and then announced thisispopbaby in January. Today they announced the release date. That is all the hype rte and Michael Kealy has done. The rest is all fan led or through a two tweets from and a small gay magazine interview a 10 minute radio interview with… Read more »

Phil
Phil
4 years ago

Tracey Clifford is well known for speaking the truth as well. She doesn’t mince her words. Big thing coming hopefully.

ESCCork
ESCCork
4 years ago

I have hope for Ireland now, I think we actually might do something good for once – COME ON IRELAND!

Andrew
Andrew
4 years ago

I’m buzzing cause I can tell that irish DJ is actually honest

P!nk Forever
P!nk Forever
4 years ago

Sarah McTernan was better than Michael Rice and yet she failed. So what‘s the truth?

Joe
Joe
4 years ago
Reply to  P!nk Forever

It’s kinda funny when you think about it. Ireland bottomed out their semi and they got three televote points from the UK. The UK bottomed out the final and they got three televote points from Ireland!

Polegend Godgarina
4 years ago
Reply to  P!nk Forever

let’s not act like michael race would’ve made it outta the semi finals