Daniel O’Donnell Blames Dustin the Turkey for Ireland’s Eurovision Losing Streak
Daniel O’Donnell, one of Ireland’s most beloved country crooners, has blamed the infamous Dustin the Turkey for Ireland’s ongoing struggles at the Eurovision Song Contest. The Donegal singer claims that Ireland’s Eurovision fortunes began to slip after the country decided to enter the puppet character into the competition in 2008, a move he believes has had lasting consequences.
Speaking to RSVP Live, Daniel didn’t hold back, suggesting that putting Dustin the Turkey forward that year was “the wrong decision” and that Ireland is still “paying the price” for it. “We insulted Europe,” he said, clearly frustrated by the controversial choice to represent the country with a comedic puppet, rather than a traditional musical act. Despite his affection for Dustin, Daniel believes the stunt had serious repercussions for Ireland’s reputation on the Eurovision stage.
However, the Donegal singer isn’t just focusing on past mistakes — he has a plan to restore Ireland’s former Eurovision glory, a feat it accomplished with great success in the 1990s, winning the competition three times in a row. Daniel’s vision is clear: Ireland needs to put forward someone at the peak of their career, someone who can showcase not only talent but also credibility on the Eurovision stage.
“It would be great to have someone really current representing Ireland next year,” he said, naming Westlife as a potential group to return Ireland to the Eurovision final. According to Daniel, Ireland should give the pop legends “a great song” and send them to the competition. “You need someone at the top of their career,” he explained, noting that in the early days of Eurovision, it was the biggest stars who competed. Figures like Sean Dunphy and Dickie Rock — both well-known and respected figures in Irish music — had the kind of stature that Daniel believes is necessary to succeed in the competition.
Daniel is not blind to the fact that Eurovision has changed over the years. He admitted that the focus has shifted from the music to the production, with more emphasis on gimmicks and stage spectacles. However, he noted a marked improvement in recent years, especially in the case of Sam Ryder from the UK, who came in second place in 2022 with his heartfelt performance of “Space Man”. “England got second place last year with Sam Ryder and that was brilliant,” Daniel said. “It was all about the song and his vocals, there was no gimmick with him.”
Despite Ireland’s recent failures at Eurovision, including a string of missed qualifications since 2018, Daniel still believes that the country has the potential to shine again. He pointed to the 2023 performance of Wild Youth, Ireland’s representative that year, which he thought deserved to make it to the Eurovision final. “Wild Youth gave a great performance and the song was good,” he said, expressing his confidence in their ability to succeed with the right backing.
In the same interview, Daniel made it clear that his love for Eurovision has never waned. He shared that he has always been an avid fan of the competition, adding, “I absolutely love Eurovision, and I keep hoping that it will be more about the song and less about the gimmicks.”
For Daniel, it’s all about returning to the roots of Eurovision: a celebration of music and talent, not just spectacle. While he appreciates the entertainment that Dustin the Turkey brought to the stage, he believes it’s time for Ireland to focus on putting forward an act that can compete at the highest level and restore the country to its former Eurovision glory.