Ireland’s Eurosong: It’s a Turkey

A puppet will represent Ireland in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, Irish TV viewers decided.

Children’s favourite Dustin The Turkey was plucked out as the best of six finalists by Irish voters.

They decided the cult figure’s performance of Irelande Douze Pointe – a parody of Eurovision – would be the one to ruffle some feathers at the song contest in May.

Dustin, one of Ireland’s leading stars since he joined The Den with fellow puppets Zig and Zag in the 1990, swept all before him when he performed live.

The bird is no stranger to being in the limelight, having recorded six albums and performed a

host of comical duets with artists such as Bob Geldof, Chris De Burgh, Ronnie Drew, Dervla

Kirwan and the late Joe Dolan.

After a number of years in the wilderness, Dustin The Turkey said he had decided to return to the recording studio in an

effort to restore his nation’s position as the High Kings Of Eurovision.

Darren Smith and Simon Fine composed the track with Dustin. They previously collaborated on Crazy Turkey from Dustin’s bestselling album Bling When Your Minging.

Ireland’s record in the European wide song contest has taken a battering in recent years.

Despite winning the event a record seven times – in 1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996 – it was third last in 2004 and failed to qualify in 2005. Although Brian Kennedy was placed in the top 10 in 2006, the trad group Dervish came last last year.

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