- Music
- 22 Jun 18
Ryan O’Shaughnessy has revealed that he received disturbing threats on social media because of his Eurovision song's music video depicting tender moments between a gay couple.
His music video for the entry 'Together' featured a same-sex couple dancing and romancing on the streets of Dublin.
The 25-year-old came 16th in the Eurovision Song Contest this year, which was Ireland's best result in at least five years.
"I was just talking to a lad from Amnesty International and he was telling me about how with campaigns they’ve ran in the past, they’ve received death threats from people for being a little out there with your statements," he told the Irish Daily Mirror.
“I received similar threats from homophobic people coming from countries that aren’t as liberal as Ireland. You have to take the good with the bad. As I’ve said before, 99% of the reaction has been so good and positive.
“There have been people writing to me saying thank you for portraying a homosexual relationship. People have said that it’s allowed them to come out or accept who they are and all that sort of stuff.
“I think on a grander scheme of things I didn’t expect it to reach that level of people and to affect so many people, but it’s positive that it has.”