Ireland has made it into the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, and the contest’s queer fans are loving the country’s 2018 performance.
Irish singer Ryan O’Shaughnessy’s onstage performance of the song “Together” included a gay couple dancing together onstage.
O’Shaughnessy told a Eurovision press conference, “My only intention was to help people see that love is just love, and there’s no difference – whether it’s between a man and a woman, a woman and a woman or a man and a man.
“It’s so important, because not everyone is as liberal as the people in [the Eurovision press room] are, and the people I’ve gotten to meet over the past week.
“It’s an important thing, and I’m very proud of my country for making that change a few years back. I know a lot of Irish people went home to vote for the referendum on same-sex marriage, and we’re bringing a new energy back to that topic.”
Ireland trying to come up with an act like #IRL #AllAboard #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/eIPxBPaOlK
— Brad 🇧🇬🇨🇾🇪🇪🇮🇱🇦🇹 (@ESCBrad) May 8, 2018
YES IRELAND IS GIVING THE GAYS WHAT THEY WANT #Eurovision 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/1LMDxIsJOT
— love, paola (@aintitphan) May 8, 2018
What the gays say they want vs. what they actually want. #Ireland #Cyprus #Eurovision pic.twitter.com/6KVfS3KCy3
— Ryan Nelson (@RyanJohnNelson) May 8, 2018
Russia showed Ireland’s performance. So all the BS can be put to sleep once and for all. #eurovision pic taken from @landruts pic.twitter.com/aLfSwbTsZo
— Katja / Катя 🇸🇪🇧🇬🇫🇮🇳🇴🇮🇱🇦🇿🇩🇰🇲🇩🇨🇾 (@SchlagerKaty) May 9, 2018
Ireland: “Ok, we have a white guy with a high pitch and an acoustic guitar.”
Europe: 😒
Ireland: “We also have two gay dancers”
Europe:#Eurovision pic.twitter.com/TxAzwHjmjy— яоss (@rossbrienO) May 8, 2018
Ireland was among ten countries to be named as finalists at the contest’s first semi-final in Lisbon this week, joining Austria, Estonia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Israel, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Albania, and Finland.
A total of 26 countries compete in the grand final, and another 10 spots are up for grabs later this week on Friday when the second semi-final takes place.
Mauboy will perform during the second semi-final with the track “We Got Love”.
The host country Portugal and the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy automatically get a place in the grand final, held this Sunday (May 13) Australian time.
