Ireland won Eurovision for a record third consecutive time, and the interval act Riverdance debuted before becoming a global stage phenomenon.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 39th Eurovision Song Contest
- Date
- 30 April 1994
- Winning song
- Rock 'n' Roll Kids by Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan
- Countries participating
- 25
- Ireland's consecutive wins
- 3 in a row (record)
- Ireland's total wins at that point
- 6 (most in Eurovision history)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ireland's Niamh Kavanagh won the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest with 'In Your Eyes', obligating RTÉ to host the 1994 edition. This made Ireland the first country to host two successive editions, following the 1993 contest held in Millstreet.
The 39th Eurovision Song Contest was held on 30 April 1994 at the Point Theatre in Dublin, hosted by Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Gerry Ryan. Twenty-five countries competed under a new relegation system. Ireland won for the third consecutive time with 'Rock 'n' Roll Kids', marking a record sixth overall win. The interval act featured a seven-minute Irish dance performance that would become Riverdance.
Ireland cemented its status as the most successful Eurovision nation to that point. The interval act Riverdance was later expanded into a full stage show that became a worldwide phenomenon, launching the international careers of lead dancers Jean Butler and Michael Flatley. Poland set a record for the most successful debut result in the contest's history.