Ireland was represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1986 with the song "You Can Count On Me", written by Kevin Sheerin, and performed by the group Luv Bug. The Irish participating broadcaster, (RTÉ), selected its entry through a national final.
Before Eurovision
National Song Contest (RTÉ) held the twenty-first edition of the National Song Contest on 30 March 1986 at its studios in Dublin, hosted by Mike Murphy. Eleven regional juries across Ireland selected the winning song, "You Can Count On Me", performed by the group Luv Bug and composed by Kevin Sheerin. Artist Song Points Place 1 Fran Meen "Here in the Night" 12 5 2 Luv Bug "You Can Count On Me" 35 1 3 Theresa Lowe "Only the Lonely Survive" 2 8 4 The Rockets "Life in the City" 3 6 5 John Spillane and Mandy Murphy "Ringo" 3 6 6 Honor Heffernan "Honey" 19 3 7 Loudest Whisper "Johnny, Where Are You Now?" 22 2 8 Linda Martin "If I Can Change Your Mind" 14 4 9 Jim Walsh "I'll Never Love Again" 0 9 + Detailed Regional Jury Votes Song scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" scope="col" Total 1 "Here in the Night" 1 2 161112 2 "You Can Count On Me" 74772 34135 3 "Only the Lonely Survive" 1 1 2 4 "Life in the City"1 113 5 "Ringo" 2 1 3 6 "Honey"4 2211 2 719 7 "Johnny, Where Are You Now?"2 12 185 3 22 8 "If I Can Change Your Mind"37 2 11 14 9 "I'll Never Love Again" 0
At Eurovision Luv Bug performed twelfth on the night of the contest, following and preceding . At the close of the voting the song had received 96 points, placing 4th in a field of 20 competing countries. This high placing was the third of five straight top ten finishes, and was the run-up to Ireland's win in Brussels the next year.
Voting
+ Points awarded to Ireland Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
+ Points awarded by Ireland Score Country 12 points 10 points 8 points 7 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point
References