Eurovision 1995 Opening Sequence

[roryphelan]

8:22

Mary Kennedy = smug

I remember cringing when she made that 'annual' jibe.

[bridgetoofar2]

Best opening ever!

[johny7even]

theu did a great job in 1995. I hated though the esc stage and actually everything in esc 1994 and 1997(in 1997 it looked like the cheapest contest ever:p).

[cgsilverscreen2020]

okay, Im from the US and just discovered this TODAY. This looks so cool. And the best part is that there aren't any years missing on youtube!

[carligo]

Best Eurovision opening EVER!!!

[TheBlackcat239]

We couldnt afford to win again so they put in something awful . It was so bad they made a mock Father Ted episode based on this "My Lovely Horse! " If anyone is unaware of this episode just type in father ted a song for Europe into the search and up pops the classic episode

[karlssonjlam]

Did Terry Wogan say " three victories on the trash"?? fuck him!!!!!

[bhimeronan]

'on the trot' methinks

[Sportymike]

@karlssonjlam 3 victories on the trot ,lol

[karlssonjlam]

@Sportymike thanks!!! jeje!!!

[karlssonjlam]

AMAZING!!! SPECTACULAR!!!

[ielaba98]

how many people in Ireland can actually speek Gaellic?

[mikeswimming]

@ielaba98 Not many...but I can!

[TheBlackcat239]

Me fein!

[bhimeronan]

Gaelic (with one 'l' by the way) is an ambiguous term as it refers to the Celtic languages of either Ireland or Scotland. In Ireland it is called Irish.

Who speaks it? About 10% of the population speak it as a mother tongue while the rest learn it at school as it is a prerequisite for entering university or for working in any civil service jobs.

So, in a nutshell, most people have the ability to speak it but, as English is also an official language, it is not really spoken on an everyday basis.

[Kesadenmark]

I Love Kirsten at 5:36!

[Iznibz]

Poor Wogan lost track... this was the third time in succession that RTE staged ESC.

[thomaszaei]

No, he was in fact right, as in 1993 it was in Millstreet, Cork.

[Iznibz]

You're right. My mistake.

[Jayeire1]

So proud to be watching this!

Come on Ireland, bring Eurovision home for the eighth time in 2010!!

[aatox]

This 1995 opening sequence from Dublin is one of my favourites along with the 2000 opening sequence in Stockholm. I like everything in it, the first part depicting a day in Ireland, from morning to night. The nostalgic retrospective collage over the then 40 years of ESC. And finally Mary Kennedy's spectacular entrance while the stage sort of constructs itself behind her and she just stands there smiling, secure and pleasant. It's not too bombastic, not too much and not too technical. Just great!

[Fabian81]

I wonder why Lux 1983 was left forgotten on that retrospective? Because Ireland didnt participate that year?

[Sharkhotel]

Suprise.. no Wogan comments about sillyness or weird things about the host country. Something special here.... everything is so wonderful in Ireland (Wogan's home)...

[closetbug]

I love the previous winners part! ESC nowadays is like a BAD JOKE!!! It used to have some charm. It's a shame!

[Fabian81]

It used to have real MUSIC

[housemartin44444]

muy buena!..junto con la de estocolmo 2000..la mejor!

[nice80sboy]

Great, great, great...just fantaaastic!! Eurovision was worth watching it some years ago. Today all the openings are very bad and the venue are too big and the stages are all the same every year - BORING!! But that's life..the world is changing and the Eurovision Song Contest does it too.

However, I hope the next Contest in Moscow will be great and spectacular!

[soeffingwhat]

It WAS! about the Music, now its just a platform for the newly Eastern European Countries to show how much they don't actually dislike each other.

[nice80sboy]

Oh that's so beautiful. I miss sooo much the beautiful entries. Serbia haven't got no entry this year!!!

[frodoireland]

Whos singing the beautiful song in 1.00 to 1.10

[Sportymike]

Thats Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh from the band Altan singing at 1:05. There is plenty of videos of her singing on YouTube, just type in. She's from County Donegal.

[setheurovision94]

After the cinematic opening of 1994, I'm disappointed. Though I have to admit that Mary Kennedy's entrance was the best thing about it, as was the 40 year collage.

[tasosk3]

I agree that Mary Kennedy's entrance and the anniversary montage were the best things about this otherwise "meh" opening. Btw, it's interesting to realise that hers was the ESC's last-ever solo hosting - sth that was quite ordinary in the previous decades - since it's always been male/female couples after that year (or trios, in the case of '99). Although one could argue that Ingvild in '96, Carrie in '97 and Ulrika in '98 were also essentially on their own...

[setheurovision94]

Yes, curiously, from 2000 onwards the two presenters have stuck together throughout the whole show. As to this opening, it's another reason why RTE should have been able to back out after 1994, because this year's production showed me they were running out of ideas. They were able to fill up the idea-pot for 1997 for sure, though!

[shm984]

The days when Dublin used to host it year on year..oh..what nostalgia!

[kennyfox2792]

IM PROUD TO BE IRISH TO!!!!!!!!!

[gerarddaniel]

it makes me proud to be irish

[Mangoteppe]

Amazing opening!

[frodoireland]

Mary Kennedy did a brilliant performance in 1995 presenting the contest on her own.

[headphone355]

Great to hear Terry Wogan commentate, too.

[nakedgunfan]

beautiful opening

[lwsmackie]

Dont agree with all the Irish bias here - the Mill Street ESC in 93 was badly produced with one of the worst stages, for me the only notable Irish ESC were 1988 & 1997 - would prefer France, Spain or Germany to host 2008 but their songs arent strong enough.

[TheLateLate]

While I agree 1993 was modest, what it lacked in scale it more than made up for in innovation. It was a wonderfully creative, imaginative, and visually intelligent production. The overhead shot of the stage was stunning given the constraints of the location. Agreed some aspects were underwhelming. 1995 tho hasn't been beaten to this day on opening! Spectacular! The clever part of this stage was the sense it generated of a heaving behemoth lurking in the darkness throughout the show. Sinister!

[lwsmackie]

The 1993 show has gone down in euro history on how NOT to produce a Eurovision - the TV production, camera shots & lightning were all pretty dismal (simply check Dutch, UK entries for camera men in shot - lighting shooting straight into camera causing white outs - the list goes on)..but if ur Irish then whats the point me commenting...u think u can do no wrong when it comes to the ESC..if only

[TheLateLate]

Not at all lwsmackie. I think 1994 was a ghastly set (though solidly directed), and other shows were also lacking in parts. I fully agree the camerawork for 1993 was exceptionally poor. Stodgy vision mixing, constantly shaky shots, cameras in shot etc etc.But purely the set itself was very accomplished given the constraints of the location. Though yes, one must question the decision to hold it there in the first place. Anyway, I thought 1991 set the benchmark of how not to produce Eurovision ;)

[lwsmackie]

Ah but you cant blame the Italians for the last minute shift due to the threat of terrorism. One point you definitely do nail is the presenting for 1991 was woeful - the stage & hall atrocious but as said it was a last minute switch to the venue

[TheLateLate]

Yes very true. And famously, Terry wasn't exactly enamoured with the commentary boxes lol. But do compare the dated 1980sesque 1992 set in Malmo to the stunningly (for the time) modern 1993 stage. Wonderfully abstract and visually deceptive. One wonders though, given it was set in the wilds of Cork miles away from Dublin, if rehearsing time and planning for shooting scripts and camera movement wasn't as it should have been. The directing style also only suited slow songs alas.

[zebbz04]

I disagree - all the Irish productions have been faultless. 1994 was, for me, the best ever - such a perfect presentation and interval act. Unlike the BBC who are already at the top of their game and don't feel the need to innovate RTE really put their all into the contest and produce innovative and stunning productions.

[lwsmackie]

No the havent been faultless - 1993 try looking at UK entry, Dutch entry, Swiss entry etc.. (cameraman in centre of shot, "whiteouts", etc etc) ...take off your biased hat & see the reality

[zebbz04]

I am Celtic (not Irish or Scottish) but hardly biased at all. RTE have always put on the best productions closely followed by SVT.

[mjb22]

The comment about the BBC is unfair. The scoreboard at the 1998 Contest was highly innovative and set the standards for the years afterwards. In fact, several of the scoreboards afterwards were provided by the BBC!

[zebbz04]

Is that the pinnacle of the BBC's innovation? A new scoreboard? If it was provided by the BBC for years afterwards then of course it set the standard then.

[fkfj16]

Not only the pinnacle of the BBC's innovation.

- the country performing had their name in the bottom left - v.useful as well as a wonderful stage and camerawork. The scoreboard takes the cake however. :D

[MrEurocat]

@zebbz04 Your wrong the 93 was shit - the camera work, production was crap . The evidence is there - look at it

[fkfj16]

Size isnt everything ;)

1993 had one of the most creative stages ever and despite the poor cam shots, the aerial view from stage left showing the mirror impression was pretty impressive. 1994 - MAJOR disapointment. 1995 - ticks all the boxes and the opening sequence was really good - sent shivers down my spine!

1991 was dismal.

[setheurovision94]

I do not get why people find the 1993 set so innovative, to me everything about it screamed 'unfinished'. Sure the neon lights were nice but the design wasn't that imaginative. And we must have been watching different stages in 1994, I thought it was wonderful how the stage looked like a city and how RTE changed the mood radically with each setting for each song. 1995... okay stage, not a special opening to me. I fully agree on 1991, though, that was so unfinished, I can hardly do it justice.

[shane79]

Translation of the Irish (Gaelic) bit.

"President of Ireland, Lord Mayor, Prime Minister(s), dignitaries. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the 40th Eurovision Song Contest. It is important also to welcome specially the television audience watching us tonight from all over Europe."

That's it!

[seanomiochain]

no doubt about it but we in ireland really know how to present eurovision....and the great thing about it is back in the 90s there wasnt quite as much money in ireland and still world class shows were put on. Can u imagine the spectacular show we could do now in Dublin?? Ireland 2008!!!

[decdec456]

well were entering a traditional irish group for 2007 and lets hopeeurope responds well to some pure and utter culture

[thessbj]

I agree with luvhart. Even though I'm Greek, and we had an excellent event in Athens 2006, I can't forget such great irish hostings as in 1993-94-95-97, not to mention 1988. All of them, far beyond usual! Go on Ireland, Dublin 2008!

[grundie]

Wow!

[luvhart]

Ah...one of the most popular eurovision opening titles, the 40th anniversary sequence. Oh RTE, deliver us a winning song again so we can show europe how a eurovision SHOULD be produced ;-)

[Moti602]

couldn't agree more, RTE brought us the best eurovisions.

my favorite was 97', atonishing stage and great hosts.

[jeppeling]

Great hosts? *uuuuuhhh* Ronan Keating...You CAN*T be serious?

[mjb22]

I agree, I think this is an excellent opening. I think RTE gets the balance exactly right.

[m54uk]

Yes, lets hope its Dublin 2008!! Ireland has changed so much since 1997 I'd love to see how RTE handles that. Europe would be in for a treat.

[Orlabobs]

I'm sure we haven't seen the last of the (as our commentator puts it) The annual Eurovision in Ireland! But 2008???? no. Until we eitheir get a great song, and the juries come into the picture again..... i feel its not going to come soon. just once we keep our dygnaty in may!!