WORTH A LOOK?: ****

We can’t ever remember writing about Ireland’s Eurovision selection show Eurosong but this year it contains an entry we think has the potential to do very well in Sweden in May and 1 that is competent but unchallenging which may well win the ticket.

• Read on for reasons including how Go Tobann reminds us of Ukraine’s beloved Go_A which finished 5th

Written by Ailsha Davey and Peadar Connolly-Davey, Go Tobann (Suddenly) is written in both Irish and English and appears to address the issue of the loss of the native tongue with lines including: ‘Is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste.’ (‘Broken Irish is better than clever English’).

Musically, we’re thinking Go_A which is to say hardcore folktronica with a 3-minute focus that is challenging but rewarding and also attempting to bring a musical flavour of the country it is representing to Eurovision, a recipe which is often greeted with success.

Of course it all depends on how it is performed and Go_A gave us an accomplished vocal amidst the musical madness which doubtless contributed to their success at a Eurovision won by Måneskin.

There were 378 entries in the selection and it is unfortunate that there is another Charli XCX-ish banger in the final 6, the promising but rather more noisy Doomsday Blue by Bambie Thug.

Ailsha’s main competition appears to be the Louis Walsh-assembled boyband Next In Line performing the perfectly pleasant Love Like Us by Bill Maybury which evokes Westlife and Boyzone and may be Ireland’s choice during a special edition of The Late, Late Show on Friday 26 January if conservatism rules.

Ireland may currently hold the record for most Eurovision wins with Sweden at 7 but its recent performance has been woeful with only 2 songs making the final since 2013 and a high of 16th with Ryan O’Shaughnessy’s cutely staged Together in 2018.

We hope Ailsha can bring Irish to Eurovision for the 1st time since 1972 when Sandie Jones sang Ceol an Ghrá (Music of love).

• Main picture via Facebook courtesy Ailsha
• Have you seen Ailsha before and are what did you think of this song? Tickets
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