Friday is the day Ireland decides. Starting at 21:35 GMT, The Late Late Show will shine in Eurovision colours for another year as six acts sing their hearts out in a live televised national selection in order to represent the Emerald Isle in Malmö, and hopefully take the nation back to the Saturday grand final.
Ahead of the show, we asked our readers to vote for their favourite of the six Eurosong competitors. And now the results are finally in.
Ailsha a favourite to win Eurosong 2024 with “Go Tobann”
We received a total of 3,232 votes. In the end, beauty blogger-turned-singer Ailsha won our poll with a commanding 37.35% of all votes cast. The Wicklow based artist, whose name is pronounced “El-sha”, has gotten the Eurovision media buzzing with her song.
Co-written by Ailsha herself, the song is a contemporary critique to the Irish-language education system.
If it wins Eurosong this Friday, “Go Tobann” will become Ireland’s second Eurovision entry to be sung at least partly in Gaeilge — the first was all the way back in 1972.
Read the “Go Tobann” lyrics HERE
However, Ailsha has some notable competition for the Eurosong trophy. Coming a very close second in our poll is “Doomsday Blue“ by queer artist Bambie Thug.
Scoring 1,063 of your votes, or nearly 33% of the total, the Ouija-pop piece is another hot contender to win the national selection.
Speaking to RTE prior to the release , Bambie Thug said the diverse structure of “Doomsday Blue” perfectly showcases the different facets of them as the artist.
In a distant third place is Erica-Cody and her song “Love me Like I do”. She picked up 471 votes (14.57%).
Poll results: Who should win Eurosong 2024?
- Ailsha – “Go Tobann“ – 37.35% – 1,207 votes
- Bambie Thug – “Doomsday Blues“ – 32.89% – 1,063 votes
- Erica-Cody – “Love me Like I do“ – 14.57% – 471 votes
- Next in Line – “Love like Us“ – 6.34% – 205 votes
- Isabella Kearney – “Let Me Be the Fire“ – 6.34% – 205 votes
- JyellowL feat. Toshin – “Judas“ – 2.51% – 81 votes
Total votes: 3,232
What do you think of the poll results? Can you see Ailsha winning Eurosong 2024? Let us know in comments below!
Reading this thread of comments after seeing the results are pretty funny. A lot of y’all thought Ireland was playing it safe with the Late Late Show viewer demographic etc. Irish public wants to turn things upside down Bamboe Thug. This will make it a more exciting show in Malmo.
Does anybody have a link to watch The Late Late Show? Broadcaster won’t let me without registration.
I hate that The Late Late Show has this outdated and unfit format for a song selection. Also, it feels rigged towards “safe” or “familiar” acts and performances, which doesn’t help its case.
I say this because it looks like Erica Cody and the boyband are the favorites.
Anyways, I hope THE miracle happens and Ailsha wins against all odds, Erica Cody would be a watered down Wild Youth
Bambi thug would do well at Eurovision , Ailsha will stay in the semi final.
I was just thinking, the Irish jury will likely have RTE presenters who know and use Irish. That is a benefit for Ailsha! I worried for her chances in the jury vote.
I’m not sure as I think some Irish speakers are not sold on the gimmick element. I think she had done well to build a story around the broken Irish lyrics and I’m hoping that is clear tonight.
Ailsha or Bambi only! ?
Broken Irish or not. It puts Irish on the stage. I think the Irish jury might surprise us. But will Ailsha deliver live that’s the question ?
Go Ailsha! Go Tobann!!!
Fingers crossed for Ailsha tonight
With the average age of the Late Late Show viewer (ahem) and the Irish jury involvement (double ahem), it will likely be either Erica Cody or the boyband chosen tonight and then cue more navel gazing from RTE in May when we come near bottom in the semi-final.
Funnily enough those are the last two in the running order. Rigged not?
While I think both of those songs would be terrible choices I wouldn’t call it rigged. There’s only 6 acts performing so the running order is not hugely impactful.
Ailsha – “Go Tobann“
What a crazy song. I’m up for it but will Eurovision be.
It’s a risky choice but Ireland have to go for this song. If it doesn’t work, so what. It’s better than flopping with a borefest song !!
Running order revealed – Bambie Thug got a bad draw at 2nd but Ailsha thankfully got fourth so she’ll be just after the middle and hence more memorable. But the boy band and Erica Cody got the last two spots. Especially with Erica Cody getting the final position, that indicates to me RTE WANT her to win. Expect high jury scores for her song and low ones for Thug and Ailsha! Also, Ailsha’s song is just after a rap song which means to contrasting sounds and all the unique stuff are at the front of the show but that will… Read more »
I mean, does the running order really impact memorability this much with only 6 songs?
It does for the Irish whose older members watching the late late show have an attention span of 15 seconds, plus factor in ad breaks and promotions through interviews with the host where they will interview certain participants more than others or hype up certain entries more to manipulate the voting.
I say this as someone part Irish myself.
Oh which part?
I know it’s not a popular opinion here but I actually really like Erica-Cody’s song. Alisha ‘s song is fun too.
?Not a huge fan of Bambie Thug’s song. Let Me Be the Fire is alright and I don’t care much about the other two songs. Let’s see what will happen.
But will Cody’s song qualify at Eurovision, that’s the big question?
If her vocals are on point I think it could. But it also depends on what other songs are in the semi-final. I like Alisha’s song now, but on first listen it was quite chaotic. This song could just as well have a hard time to qualify. Especially if there are better televote options. Anyways, I’m fine with either of them winning Eurosong.
Exactly. It depends on the other songs…but a good song should qualify REGARDLESS. If we’re considering other songs in it’s semi final already then that’s a worrying sign. If we take just last year’s semi final Ireland was in – there were an incredible array of songs to compete with – would Ireland qualify with Erica Cody that year? If we took that year every year it would make Ireland actually try and be competitive! Those are the standards for a song for it to do well and stand out, not just qualify.
You’re absolutely right. But I feel the same for Ailsha. If there’s a bunch of experimental/ethnic songs, I’m not so sure she’ll qualify. In both cases I’m uncertain if they’re strong enough. Therefor I feel qualification can depend on the quality of other songs in the semifinal. So I guess that means I don’t think a winning song is present in this selection.
Alisha and Bambie Thug are two creative and risky choices. I am thrilled to see them even being offered. And yet… the betting odds predict Ireland to pick the safe and unexciting song of Erica-Cody. Does Ireland even want to qualify?
My guess is that betting is so low on Eurosong that it’s in the margin of error, unfortunately RTE hasn’t cared about Eurovision for decades and that has translated into a lack of interest among the poplace.
Bambie Thug prayer circle
My biggest worry in Eurosong is not the public vote, I actually think Ailsha will win that, and I can see Bambie Thug winning the European jury vote. What worrys me and a lot of eurovision fans in Ireland is the Irish jury, it is nearly certain the top two in that will be next in line or Erica Cody, on pure favouritism and not the best interests for our chances of doing well in the competition. I can actually see Bambi Thug or Ailsha not making the top 3 in that vote which could prove pivotal when the final… Read more »
At least if Erica Cody wins, the Irish language will still be back at the contest for the first time in over 50 years.
I actually don’t mind Erica~Cody or Isabella Kearney songs. I know they not front runners to take the ultimate prize but the songs are ok pop.
But will they qualify? Ireland needs something amazing to stand out not average.
Does her song have Irish in it?
He’s talking about her odd heavy accent, but it’s actually in English!
There is three words of Irish at about 02.10! Easily missed, but they do exist.
Yes, about three words.
I expect the national jury to vote for Erica and the international jury to vote for Alisha. And the televote to go with Erica… Older audience and Erica is known for other RTE shows…. Typical RTE …. They tried to burn Brooke years ago, and Connolly last year… I expect the same …
It didn’t work with Brooke and regarding last year Adgy in my opinion would have been the most modern song. Connolly had the definitive performance and voice but Adgy’s song if reworked and with better singing could have actually stood on its own two feet!
I take this back, the national jury will likely have Irish speakers. And Irish speaker’s love to support the language ..Alisha now fav to win for me.
If you’re Irish PLEASE vote for Go Tobann, for the sake of Ireland qualifying and for the sake of the whole contest’s quality, during Eurosong on Friday. Every vote counts! I believe everything who has a phone may be able to vote.
I think UK viewers can vote too… by using the Northern Ireland voting number?
I’ve heard that and possibly there is a way to phone in from outside countries?
Probably not, but the NI is a UK line… so it is actually allowed.
Ask the Moldovans it seems they can work wonders with televoting
UK viewers apparently can vote, which Ailsha already tweeted in her account. I hope this can help to get a few more votes (including mine).
Yeah, last year there was two separate numbers. One for the republic, one for Northern Ireland. Make sure to dial the NI one!
Also, I read in the rules that only Ailsha and Barbie Thug voters in the UK can take part, so for anyone else reading this just forget it. No point.
Yes, I could do that, but it would be unprofessional of me to do so. 🙂
You and your integrity, what a bad habit. Tsk.
Worringly for our chances to do well in this years competition Erica Cody is the hot favourite with the bookies to win and Louis Walsh’s boyband has had its odds slashed from 8-1 to 4-1 in the last couple of hours if either of these two acts go to Malmo with their respective songs, than it will be the same old boring Ireland, and all this talk of a revamp from RTE will be thrown out the window on Friday night, and yet again we will not qualify for the final. It is a no brainer that either Ailsha or… Read more »
It feels like the whole thing is rigged for either of those two, which is a bummer having two entries that could potentially change Ireland’s luck in the contest for the better
I cannot disagree with any of that. And we may get starting position # 2 if available.
I find it unlistenable. The bar is extremely low when the fact that it’s a few lines in broken Irish is already enough to make it special. And yet I can’t wait to watch this live.
Remember folks this poll means nothing until all the pensioners (sorry individuals of a certain age) of the late late show have had their say both on the jury and the phone!.
Try getting 69cent from a pensioner… I dare ya. ?
Including Louis Walsh
Yes , midnight topped the poll last year, wild youth were down the field, no t the way it turned out on the night