Ireland’s 1994 Eurovision winner plans to return trophy in protest at Israel’s participation in 2026 Contest

Ireland's 1994 Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan has said he plans to return his trophy in protest at Israel's participation in the 2026 Song Contest.

The news comes after Swiss 2024 Eurovision winner Nemo announced their decision to return their trophy to the Geneva headquarters of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises Eurovision, last week.

In a video posted by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), McGettigan said his choice to follow suit was prompted by a message from Nemo.

"Last night, just before I went to bed, I received an Instagram message from [Nemo]," McGettigan said.

"They came across as sincere and a very intelligent person and stated their case very well, and therefore in support of Nemo, I would like to return my trophy to the EBU as well."

McGettigan said it has been 30 years since his and Paul Harrington's win and "I can’t lay my hands on whatever trophy we received back then," but added when he does find it, he plans to return it.

IPSC described McGettigan's decision as "great solidarity with the Palestinian people" in the caption of the video.

"The EBU is wrecking its own contest to preserve Israel's artwashing of genocide but the tide has turned and artists and the public reject that!" IPSC said.

 

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Nemo expressed their support in the comments of IPSC's post, writing, "Hey Charlie, thank you for speaking out on this and for the kind words. I hope you find your trophy to send it back. With love, Nemo."

In a separate post, IPSC said McGettigan's gesture "reflects the will of the majority of Irish people who want Israel to be expelled by the EBU and indeed sanctioned for its crimes against Palestinians."

"We hope that many more former winners follow suit," IPSC added.

The protests come after a General Assembly meeting by the EBU earlier this month, where a majority of members reportedly felt a vote on Israel's participation was unnecessary.

Following the report, RTÉ announced Ireland would not participate in or broadcast the Contest. Broadcasters from Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Iceland soon followed suit.

In 2018, McGettigan called for RTÉ to withdraw from the 2019 Song Contest due to it being hosted by Israeli broadcasters in Tel Aviv. McGettigan and representatives of Sinn Féin were among those supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement's calls to boycott that year.

McGettigan was also among over 70 former Eurovision contestants who signed an open letter urging the EBU to ban Israel from the 2025 Contest.

Earlier this month, Harrington said he believed Ireland's boycott would "will have an impact" in an interview on RTÉ's Six One News.

"The whole idea of the Eurovision Song Contest was to bring everybody together - leave the politics at the door," Harrington said.

"I don't know what the ultimate impact will be, but it certainly will have an effect for sure. If there are several other countries like the Netherlands and Spain, maybe there will be safety in numbers when everyone has to try to get back in again."

At the time of writing, Harrington has not commented publicly about McGettigan's decision to return their trophy.

McGettigan and Harrington won the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland with their song 'Rock'n'Roll Kids', written by Brendan Graham.

The 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place at Vienna's Wiener Stadthalle, Austria’s largest indoor arena – with the final set for May 16 and the semi-finals taking place on May 12 and 14.