Ireland lost 'because we sent amateurs'
Ireland crashed out of the Eurovision Song Contest because we sent an amateur act to a professional event, pop guru Louis Walsh claimed today.
Walsh warned that Ireland must use better songs and singers after siblings Donna and Joseph McCaul failed to make it past the semi-final of the event in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
Walsh, the manager of Westlife, said: "The standard was very, very high. But other countries are sending their biggest stars, with their best songwriters.
"We sent two amateurs, that is the real, real problem - two people that don't know the business as well as they should.
"They did their very, very best, they didn't let us down. But they weren't good enough and the song was not good enough."
Ireland's top record of seven wins in the competition was dashed by the dismal failure to qualify for the final. This year was the first time Ireland had to qualify for the competition, which is celebrating its 50th year.
The pair's song Love? Did not strike a chord with phone voters across Europe and they failed to be chosen as one of the 10 semi-finalists to join the 14 countries already guaranteed a place in tomorrow night's final.
The disappointed McCauls blamed block voting favouring the Eastern countries as the reason they failed to qualify.
Donna, 20, from Athlone in Co Westmeath, said: "We just can't beat this block voting. We went out there tonight and did our very best. I hope the people in Ireland are proud of us."
Her brother Joseph, 17, added: "This isn't the end, we intend on pursuing a singing career and I hope that the people in Ireland aren't too disappointed."
The pair were chosen to represent Ireland in Ukraine through RTE's You're A Star, with the song Love? Written by Karl Broderick.
Some critics had predicted a poor showing for the duo, saying they lacked the experience required for the Eurovision before they flew to Kiev.
Walsh said: "You're A Star is a great TV show but it is amateurs and we are taking amateurs and sending them into a professional contest and that is the problem. None of our great professional songwriters are entering their songs."
Walsh said Ireland's selectors should get a professional songwriter such as Johnny Logan, who previously won the competition, to write next year's entry.
He warned: "Every country is sending their biggest stars, there was one guy there who had 10 albums out in his native land. We need to up the ante and send better singers and better songs."
Julian Vignoles, head of the Irish delegation in Kiev, said the McCauls gave a fantastic performance at the event but the musical tastes of the competition had changed.
"The thing is, the musical centre of gravity has shifted east in the last few years, as we know from the EU itself. More and more eastern countries joined and their musical tastes are reflected in the competition," Mr Vignoles said.
"I think there is no easy answer to this. If there was block voting, then where did Israel get their votes?"
Mr Vignoles said that there was only a 40% chance of qualifying from the semi-final.
He added: "Fifteen mostly very good acts were disappointed last night, and some very experienced singers were in tears."
After the performance, songwriter Broderick said: "The guys, they nailed the performance, no one can say Donna and Joseph didn't belong on the stage.
"The general feeling is that we came to do a job and we couldn't have done the job we had to do, waved the flag for Ireland, any better."
A 150-strong group of Irish supporters, including a large number from the McCauls' home town of Athlone, are staying on to watch the final.
