Eurovision Draw 2008

[Zeke]

This years eurovision draw has taken place and Ireland will be in the first semi final on Tuesday the 20th May. Ireland seems to have gotten an okay draw. The EBU has split up countries who tend to vote highly for one another so therefore we will not be giving our 12 points to Lithuania this year (unless we both make the final). The countries in Ireland's draw are Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, San Marino and Slovenia. It also has to be noted that both Germany and Spain will vote in this semi final but both will already qualified for the final.

Its easy to see that both Netherlands and Belgium will give 12 to Armenia, Romania and Moldova will swap 12's, Bosnia, Slovenia and Montenegro will all give each other high points. Irelands douze points will surely head to Poland. Hopefully this year the best songs will get through and we wont have a repeat of last years fiasco.

The other semi final is a tougher one with more eastern european countries. The second semi final will take place on Thursday May 22nd and the countries participating in this semi are Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Georgia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine. France, UK and Serbia who are all directly in the final will vote in this semi.

[yop]

If Germany and Spain are voting in the semi final, does that mean the UK and France will be too.

I don't want to miss voting in the semi's just cause i'm living in the UK!

[Zeke]

No what it means is that Germany and Spain will vote only in the first semi final and Serbia, France and the UK will only vote in the second semi final.

Seeing as the UK gave us zero points last year it does not make a difference that they cannot vote for us really [:-D]

[yop]

I'm disgusted. My first year not living in Ireland for the Eurovision and i can't vote for Ireland!

Mind you if we send an act similar to last years I don't think i'd bother wasting my credit anyway!

I can't believe it's almost Eurovison season already! Hurray!

[Zeke]

[:-D][:-D] Well you are better off voting for the songs and not for the country you come from. [:-))]

[Shiva]

Well looks like they sorted out the semi finals, after a fashion, for the vote rigging. Problem now is the finals. Are they proposing to do anything different with that?

[Zeke]

[:-((] No every country can vote in the final so expect to see a balkan country win again

[Invincible]

Besides Serbia last year no other Balkan country has actually won the ESC in recent years, unless you count Greece as being one.

Anyway, when i saw this thread my heart skipped a beat...i LOVE eurovision!!

[Zeke]

That is true too but i am just so sick of seeing F.Y.R Macedonia sending average songs every year and qualifying for the final each time [:-((]

[Invincible]

That is true too but i am just so sick of seeing F.Y.R Macedonia sending average songs every year and qualifying for the final each time [:-((]

Very true. The Balkans and the ex-soviet countries always seem to do well and get top 10 finishes regardless of the quality of songs they send.

Tis a tad sickening!

[nicenic]

just wondering when is the Election Show taking place, which decides who will fight for ireland?

Lets hope its not some folk Stuff like last year. RTE should make an effort and put in fresh music. Lets hope that the UK comes up with a better idea than last year with waving the flag.

[nicenic]

BUt Macedonia had a very good song and I like it (here comes my slavic roots!) I actually hated the Serbian Winning Song and I was more rooting for Macedonia. I was also rooting for Ukraine as I loved VERKA!!

[Invincible]

Ireland chooses on Saturday 23rd February. It's gonna be a return to the traditional national song contest style show where there will be a selection of different acts/songs and the viewers then vote for their favourite. It will surely produce a more democratic-type winner than the last few years.

[Zeke]

There are rumors circulating that Dustin the turkey will be in the Irish final.

Lets pray that that is just a rumor or else the rest of Europe will truly be laughing at us

So far Cyprus, Malta, Belarus, Andorra, Albania and Switzerland have picked their songs with Estonia, Denmark, Azerbaijan and Slovenia also choosing this weekend. So far the Swiss song is head and shoulders above the rest and its great to hear Italian in the contest again (i dont count last years Latvian entry) and with San Marino in for the first time hopefully Italy will be back next year

To view the swiss song just click the link below. Let me know what you think
[:-D]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1IihTZs9tQ

[Invincible]

The singer is HOT! The song is good, it kicks off nicely after the opening. The dancers are a bit pointless.

I remember last year Switzerland were early favourites to win wit the vampire song but ended up not even qualifying for the final.

This should do better.

[+saidin+]

I really wish they'd get rid of the public deciding entirely on where points are sent to. I agree that the public should have a say in it but it really should boil down to a committee who are judging the acts based not on what country they hail from! It's ruining Eurovision!!