Ireland entered the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, sending Johnny Logan to the contest with the song "What's Another Year", written by Shay Healy.
Before Eurovision
National final
The Irish national final to select the Irish representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, was held on 9 March 1980 at the RTÉ Studios in Dublin and was hosted by Larry Gogan. It was organised by the Irish broadcaster of the contest Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ).
Eight songs were performed live to the Irish viewers and listeners, with the winning song being decided by 10 regional juries across the country. The winner went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest in The Hague, which gave Ireland its second victory, ten years after its first.
Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest
Among "What's Another Year"'s future honours as a Eurovision evergreen was its inclusion as one of the fourteen competing songs in Congratulations, Eurovision's fiftieth anniversary contest special. It was one of two Irish entries competing to be named the best Eurovision entry of all time, the other being Logan's subsequent winner, "Hold Me Now.". The song was performed second on the night, following the United Kingdom's Cliff Richard with "Congratulations" and preceding Israel's Dana International with "Diva." Unlike "Hold Me Now," "What's Another Year" failed to make it past the first round, finishing 12th with 74 points.[3]
Voting
Points awarded to "What's Another Year" (Round 1)[3]
^"Final of The Hague 1980". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
^ ab"Results of the Final of The Hague 1980". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
^ ab"Congratulations: Results from the voting (Round 1)" (PDF). Eurovision Song Contest. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 May 2006. Retrieved 6 April 2021.