Ireland will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2027. Irish public broadcaster RTÉ confirmed on Thursday, 17 September, that it will also not broadcast the competition, marking the second consecutive year in which Ireland will be absent from Eurovision.
The decision continues RTÉ’s position from 2026, when Ireland withdrew from the Vienna contest following the European Broadcasting Union’s decision to allow Israel to participate.
RTÉ: “Our position remains unchanged”
In a statement published on 17 September, RTÉ said that its position regarding Eurovision participation “remains unchanged”.
The broadcaster confirmed:
“RTÉ will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, nor will RTÉ broadcast the competition.”
RTÉ said that Ireland’s participation could not be justified because of what it described as the ongoing loss of life in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis affecting civilians there.
The broadcaster also highlighted its concerns about the continued lack of independent access for international journalists to Gaza.
RTÉ’s full statement is particularly significant because the broadcaster is not simply declining to send an Irish entry. It has also decided not to air the Eurovision Song Contest in Ireland.
A second consecutive absence
Ireland already stayed away from Eurovision 2026 in Vienna.
The decision followed the EBU’s confirmation in December 2025 that Israel would be allowed to compete in the 2026 contest. At the time, RTÉ said that participation would remain “unconscionable” because of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and concerns about journalists working in the territory.
Ireland subsequently became one of five broadcasters absent from Eurovision 2026, alongside Iceland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain.
The 2027 decision therefore extends Ireland’s boycott to a second consecutive Eurovision.
Ireland and Eurovision: one of the contest’s most successful countries
Ireland’s absence is particularly notable because of the country’s extraordinary Eurovision history.
Ireland made its Eurovision debut in 1965 and has won the competition seven times, sharing the record for the most victories with Sweden.
Its victories came in:
- 1970 — Dana, All Kinds of Everything
- 1980 — Johnny Logan, What’s Another Year
- 1987 — Johnny Logan, Hold Me Now
- 1992 — Linda Martin, Why Me?
- 1993 — Niamh Kavanagh, In Your Eyes
- 1994 — Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan, Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids
- 1996 — Eimear Quinn, The Voice
Ireland also remains the only country to have won Eurovision three times consecutively, in 1992, 1993 and 1994. Its most recent victory came exactly 30 years before Eurovision 2026, when Eimear Quinn won in Oslo.
Before its recent withdrawals, Ireland had missed only two contests since its debut — 1983 and 2002. The 2026 and 2027 withdrawals will therefore bring the number of missed editions to four.
What does the EBU say?
The European Broadcasting Union has responded to RTÉ’s decision by saying that it regrets Ireland’s absence but respects the broadcaster’s decision.
Eurovision Song Contest Director Martin Green said that RTÉ remains a valued part of the Eurovision community and acknowledged the broadcaster’s contribution to the contest.
The EBU also stressed that broadcasters make their participation decisions on an annual basis and said it would remain in dialogue with RTÉ, expressing hope that Ireland will return to Eurovision in the future.
Ireland’s decision comes amid continuing debate over Eurovision and Israel
RTÉ’s announcement comes after months of debate among European public broadcasters over Israel’s participation in Eurovision.
During the build-up to Eurovision 2026, RTÉ had been among broadcasters calling for discussions about Israel’s participation. The EBU ultimately confirmed Israel’s participation, while introducing changes to the contest’s voting and promotional rules.
Those changes included the return of professional juries to the semi-finals, a reduction in the maximum number of votes that an individual viewer could cast, and additional restrictions intended to address disproportionate promotional influence.
The EBU has subsequently made further changes to the Eurovision rules for 2027. Among them is a new provision concerning the eligibility of a winning broadcaster to host the following contest if its country is involved in an armed conflict or a sensitive geopolitical situation.
Eurovision 2027 will take place in Bulgaria
The 2027 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Burgas, Bulgaria, following Bulgarian singer DARA’s victory at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna with BANGARANGA. The Grand Final is scheduled for 15 May 2027.
Ireland will therefore be absent from the contest for the second year running, with no Irish artist or Irish broadcaster involved in the 2027 Eurovision shows.
For a country with seven Eurovision victories and one of the longest histories in the competition, RTÉ’s continued absence represents a significant change in Ireland’s relationship with Eurovision.
For now, however, RTÉ has made its position clear: Ireland will not participate in Eurovision 2027, and RTÉ will not broadcast the contest.
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