Ireland Eurosong 2013 entrants

Since 1997 Ireland have kinda been floating around in the Eurovision quite directionless. The contest has moved on and, not being a country like Russia or Azerbaijan, they can't just throw money at the biggest producer around to give them their next big hit. Ireland's economic situation in recent years has not helped. A good song is needed, but, like, could someone really cheap write it?

Ireland, like a lot of countries, seem to view it as an opportunity to showcase their own talents. The problem though, with that, is that this leaves you, like other small nations, selecting from a limited group. That isn't really a problem, per se, because Eurovision has always been a competition where a small nobody can defeat more successful performers. Their competitions are not nearly as limited as Iceland's, with the same performers every year, or as desperate as San Marino, once under the threat of being lumped with Lys Assia (a fate that was avoided in favour of Valentina 'Facebook' Monetta.)

Song-wise though, it's been caught between a rock and a hard-place. Since the abysmal disaster of Dervish, they've been flailing trying to get something attention grabbing and good, while modern, but distinctly Irish. Dustin the Turkey was a welcome reaction to Dervish, and a chance to show some Irish humour.  Sinead Mulvey and Black Daisy just kinda lacked a real spark, Niamh Kavanagh garnered some interest, but had nothing particularly modern about her, and Jedward... well, it was just a two year parade of stupid hair, with what might have been hits if they were ever decent enough singers to perform them (and just what the fuck was that fountain thing about last year?) 

So, what have we got this year? The typical line-up of Ireland's Eurosong. A ballad, three generic pop songs that could be from any national final, and a trad song. 

Let's start with the ballad: Aimee FitzPatrick, Crashing Down

I just don't really like these kind of songs. To me, soft slow love songs are just all one and the same song. These are songs that show more the talent of the singer. They're like pulp romance novels, the same cliches gone over and over. This one is singing about how she will be something. Something... yes, maybe, but not a Eurovision entry. ' This song is so pointless, it doesn't even build to an end, it just stops. Considering the girl is only 17, this seems a bit wasted on her.

The three generic pop songs:
Zoe Alexis Borhoquez, Fire
Ryan Dolan, *something i can't even be bothered to look up*
Kasey (With a 'K', which just makes me think she's a Kardashian) Kiss Me There 

Is there even anything to say about these. They strike me as all equally tedious and cheap. 'Kiss Me There' has the slight edge, but it doesn't seem like it would translate well live. Though, Fire already has a video...

The trad song
Inchequin, Son Kez/The Last Time

By Ireland's standards this is not that bad. Although, Dervish really set the bar quite low on that one, and we're in a post-Jedward landscape. I think the concept, International Irish, is better than the execution, and it seems like a mash of several different songs. The fact that these guys are an actual band, not something assembled for eurovision, raises it slightly in my estimation, as cultural crossovers can be so cheap and clumsy. It is interesting though, and I don't hold hope that the others would do anything spectacular live. It could be a grower, but I have a sense that Kiss Me There or Fire is going to be pushed on us, and this one will get screwed over by the voters. Which is a shame.