Irish fans left feeling Emmotional over exit

IRISH Eurovision Song Contest fans are “heartbroken” by the country's act, Norwegian singer Emmy Kristiansen, failing to make the final.

- BY CHARLOTTE MCLAUGHLIN and BEN BAUER in Basel

Ireland, which ties with Sweden for the most Eurovision wins, sent the 24-year-old to perform her entry Laika Party, about a Soviet dog sent to space, during the second semi-final in Basel, Switzerland, on Thursday.

She apologised to Ireland for failing, after Austria's JJ and Israeli singer Yuval Raphael, who are among the competition favourites, as well as Armenian singer PARG, Denmark's singer Sissal and Luxembourg’s Laura Thorn were all voted through.

Others in the final are Finland’s black leather-wearing Erika Vikman; Latvian band Tautumeitas; Malta’s high-energy diva Miriana Conte; and Greece’s singer Klavdia.

Last year, Bambie Thug with Doomsday Blue became the first Irish entrant to make the final since Ryan O'Shaughnessy in 2018.