Ireland Ditches Eurovision, Airs Father Ted Episode in Protest
Ireland Ditches Eurovision, Airs Father Ted Episode in Protest
Ireland's RTÉ opts to broadcast a 1996 Father Ted Eurovision spoof instead of the final, sparking debate as other broadcasters also rethink participation in response to Israel's inclusion.
Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ has chosen to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest in protest of Israel's inclusion and will instead broadcast the 1996 Father Ted episode A Song for Europe, in which Ted and Dougal perform My Lovely Horse and earn nul points. The decision has drawn sharp responses, with one of the show's creators, Graham Linehan, accusing RTÉ of using the beloved comedy as a tool of antisemitic harassment and calling for the director-general's resignation. Yet the move also drew praise from some voices online; Extra.ie hailed it as genius trolling and described it as a my lovely boycott.
Spain, Slovenia, the Netherlands and Iceland have also declined to send competitors or broadcast the contest this year. In Slovenia, the broadcaster will air documentaries under the theme Voices of Palestine, while Spain's program will be The House of Music. The broader boycott follows calls for changes to European Broadcasting Union rules amid concerns over last year's voting dynamics after the Israeli entrant drew the largest public vote and finished second overall.
In Ireland, A Song for Europe sees Ted and Dougal representing the country with a deliberately tuneless ode to a horse—an entry designed so poor that it would prevent Ireland from winning, thereby averting the risk of advancement. The event remains set to unfold in Austria, with 35 countries participating under the motto united by music. The episode’s airing has rekindled debate about the line between protest and harassment, and about the role of popular media in political discourse as audiences weigh the implications of turning a cultural event into a vehicle for protest.
Ultimately, the decision highlights how culture and politics intersect in Europe’s iconic events, prompting supporters to view it as a bold stand and critics to see it as political theatre. RTÉ’s move will be watched closely by lawmakers, broadcasters, and Eurovision fans as the contest’s rules and reach continue to evolve in a highly visible media moment.
