Eurovision Song Contest 1995

Infobox Eurovision
name = Eurovision Song Contest 1995


final = 13 May 1995
presenters = Mary Kennedy
conductor = Noel Kelehan
director =
host = flagicon|Ireland RTÉ
venue = Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
winner = flag|Norway
"Nocturne"
vote = Each country awarded 12, 10, 8-1 points to their 10 favourite songs
entries = 23
debut =
return = flag|Belgium
flag|Israel
flag|Denmark
flag|Turkey
flag|Slovenia

withdraw = flag|Switzerland
flag|Slovakia
flag|Romania
flag|Finland
flag|Netherlands
flag|Estonia
flag|Lithuania
null =
interval = Lumen
opening =
con = Eurovision Song Contest
pre = ◄1994
nex = 1996►The Eurovision Song Contest 1995 was the 40th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on May 13, 1995 in the Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. The presenter was Mary Kennedy. This contest broke the chain of victories that Ireland enjoyed in 1992, 1993, and 1994. This was Ireland's 3rd year in succession to host the contest - and to mark the 40th show, it was opened with a 4-minute retrospective showing images from the contest's history. The Norwegian group Secret Garden was the winner of this contest with the mostly instrumental song, "Nocturne". Incidentally, Secret Garden's violinist was Fionnuala Sherry, who is Irish.

The favourite to win the contest, as tipped by bookmakers, was Sweden with the pop-ballad "Se På Mej". Other countries in contention for the win were Denmark, Israel, Slovenia, and the eventual winner, Norway. The winning song was something new at Eurovision it contained around 30 words accompanied by long violin solos. The United Kingdom contributed a modern rap number, while last year’s runner-up, Poland, went for something that completely contrasted their début entry.

After the first two juries voted, it was down between Norway and Sweden who both shared first place. Denmark and Spain trailed the two countries, but after the voting was completed, Norway was the winner with 148 points, followed by Spain's "Vuelve Conmigo" with 119 points, and Sweden gaining 100 points.

The stage was designed by Alan Farquharson who also designed the Millstreet 93 set. Although it was quite dark and often gloomy in appearance, it did form the basis for a spectacular opening whereby a giant screen rotated to reveal the presenter who descended a stairway which ultimately disappeared to allow for the arrow shaped stage to come together amid fireworks. The interval act consisted of several well known Irish performers including Clannad, Brian Kennedy (who would go on to actually represent Ireland 11 years later), and was composed by leading musician Michael O'Suilleabhan.

The EBU decreased the number of participants back to 23 to make sure the show wouldn't last longer than 3 hours. 5 of the 6 countries that were relegated last year came back to the contest, Luxembourg decided to stop participating totally and Italy withdrew voluntarily, as in 1994.

There was much speculation in Ireland as to whether RTÉ had deliberately chosen a song perceived as not having a good chance of winning in order to avoid hosting the contest for a fourth time in a row - although this was never verified. This rumour did, however inspire a popular episode of Father Ted. In any event, RTÉ ended up hosting the contest once again in 1997.

Individual Entries

Results

Voting structure

Each country had a jury that awarded 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 points for their top ten songs.

core sheet

		Results
	Poland		0	0	0	4	0	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
	Ireland	0		1	5	1	5	3	0	3	5	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	10	1	5	0	0	4
	Germany	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Bosnia-Herzegovina	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	3	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0
	Norway	12	10	4	1		12	12	0	4	12	0	10	6	5	4	12	7	0	2	7	10	6	12
	Russia	0	0	0	0	10		0	0	0	0	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Iceland	0	6	0	0	2	3		4	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	6	8	0	0	0	0
	Austria	2	0	0	0	3	0	0		6	4	0	8	4	10	5	2	0	4	10	0	2	0	7
	Spain	8	2	6	8	0	0	5	0		8	10	7	2	12	8	7	10	0	0	0	12	8	6
	Turkey	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2		5	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	3	1	7	0
	Croatia	0	3	0	10	7	0	10	0	12	7		0	0	0	0	4	5	0	0	12	4	12	5
	France	7	5	8	0	6	0	8	10	0	2	3		10	6	1	0	2	3	6	8	7	0	2
	Hungary	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Belgium	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	0	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	United Kingdom	5	1	0	4	0	1	0	12	0	0	0	12	7	7		10	0	5	7	0	5	0	0
	Portugal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	0		0	0	0	0	0	0	1
	Cyprus	1	0	3	0	5	4	2	0	5	0	1	0	12	8	3	0		8	5	4	6	4	8
	Sweden	10	12	12	2	8	6	4	8	0	1	0	3	0	0	6	8	4		12	1	0	3	0
	Denmark	3	7	7	3	12	10	7	7	0	6	0	0	3	3	0	6	0	12		6	0	0	0
	Slovenia	4	8	5	6	0	7	1	3	0	0	2	0	8	0	10	5	3	7	0		3	2	10
	Israel	0	0	10	7	0	8	0	6	0	0	4	0	5	4	12	0	8	2	0	10		5	0
	Malta	0	4	2	12	0	0	0	2	10	10	12	6	0	0	7	0	6	1	4	0	0		0
	Greece	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	8	0	7	5	0	2	0	3	12	0	0	2	8	10
	THE TABLE IS ORDERED BY APPEARANCE

Commentators

* Poland - Artur Orzech
* Ireland - Pat Kenny
* Germany - Horst Senker
* Bosnia & Herzegovina - TBC
* Norway - TBC
* Russia - TBC
* Iceland - TBC
* Austria - TBC
* Spain - José Luis Uribarri
* Turkey - TBC
* Croatia - Aleksandar Kostadinov
* France - Olivier Minne
* Hungary - TBC
* Belgium - Jean-Pierre Hautier (RTBF), André Vermeulen (BRTN)
* United Kingdom - Terry Wogan (BBC TV), Ken Bruce (BBC Radio 2)
* Portugal - Ana do Carmo
* Cyprus - Evi Papamichail
* Sweden - Pernilla Månsson & Kåge Gimtell
* Denmark - Jørgen de Mylius
* Slovenia - TBC
* Israel - TBC
* Malta - TBC
* Greece - Dafni Bokota

pokespersons

* Poland - Jan Chojnacki
* Ireland - Eileen Dunne
* Germany - Carmen Nebel
* Bosnia & Herzegovina - Diana Grković Foretić
* Norway - Sverre Tinnå
* Russia - Marina
* Iceland - Áslaug Dora Eyjólfsdóttir
* Austria - Tilia Herold
* Spain - Belén Fernández de Henestrosa
* Turkey - Ömer Önder
* Croatia - Danijela Trbović
* France - Thierry Beccaro
* Hungary - Katalin Bogyay
* Belgium - Soda
* United Kingdom - Colin Berry
* Portugal - Serenella Andrade
* Cyprus - Andreas
* Sweden - Björn Hedman
* Denmark - Bent Henius
* Slovenia - Miša Molk
* Israel - Daniel Pe'er
* Malta - Stephanie Farrugia
* Greece - Fotini Yiannoulatou

Map