Irish Eurovision Winner Says We Should Boycott Next Competition For This Reason

It's been over 20 years since Ireland last won the Eurovision and one of the people who brought the coveted title back home to Ireland in 1994 believes we should boycott the 2019 competition.

Charlie McGettigan teamed up with Paul Harrington to make the timeless classic Rock 'n' Roll Kids but McGettigan feels very strongly about having no Irish representative in Israel next year.

He spoke to Joe Duffy on Liveline on Tuesday afternoon where he said that Ireland should make a statement and decide not to go to the Eurovision unless it's moved from its current location.

His reasons are that he feels it's wrong to be celebrating while other people are dying, referring to the 58 Palestinian people who were killed when Israeli forced shot at protesters in Gaza this week.

"It was dreadful yesterday, seeing Netanyahu and the Trumps celebrating while people are dead. It's frightening."

"It's a chance for the whole of Europe who are involved in Eurovision to make a statement and sort of say, 'Look, we don't agree with this, to celebrate while other people are dying'.

The Eurovision, first of all, should be encouraged to boycott it and have it in another country and if they don't, we (Ireland) shouldn't go," he told Duffy.

As it stands, the next competition will take place in Tel Aviv in May 2019.