I’ve been given what I would describe as my ‘Dream Job’.
RTE have asked me to be a Eurovision mentor for 2013.
This means that I am one of five people who will put forward an act and song for the competition, then present it to the Irish public on The Late Late Show in February.
I’ve been a massive Eurovision fan since forever… okay, since I was about seven years old. It was always just a lovely night in my family home. My mum loved it, so too did my two sisters. Poor dad was just outnumbered and went along with it. His job was to get the “gutch” from the shops.
(*Gutch is Farrell for treats!)
Anyway back to my dream job offer.
You’d think I’d jump straight in and say yes straight away, but I didn’t take this on lightly. In fact Mr. RTE was getting slightly cross with me for not returning his calls.
I immediately thought of someone I think has huge talent, a young, beautiful girl who for some reason hasn’t gotten the break she deserves. I decided if she says yes, then I’m in. Like a bloke asking girl to marry him, I asked my girl “Would you do me the honour and be my act from this day forward?”
I was very relived to send the “She said yes!!!!” texts. All very exciting but… It’s a song contest and I have no song. Yet.
I’m up against some serious competition. Shea Healy, who wrote ‘What’s Another Year’, my second favourite Eurovision song of all time, Niall Mooney (he has written songs that have already represented Ireland before – Niamh Kavanagh’s most recent one included), Stuart O’Connor – theatre producer and choreographer, and Mark Mc Cabe – Mr. Maniac 2000.
What I need now is a songwriter to get into my head and take the song I have out of there, put it on paper and record it. For free. Any takers?! I know this sounds simple but I think we need to send a really good song and singer. People have said we can’t win it ever again. I totally disagree. Sweden won last year… they have as many friends as us. Germany won two years ago and they have no friends (apart from Our Enda).
Will Hanafin says it like Trappatoni finally putting Shane Long on the pitch. Maybe it’s more like the FAI putting a fan in charge of the team. Well I’m in now, so wish me luck… as the saying goes be careful what you wish for!
