Ireland will not participate in or broadcast next year's Eurovision Song Contest, public broadcaster RTÉ said, citing the "ongoing loss of lives in Gaza".
RTÉ quoted Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green as saying that the European Broadcasting Union regretted but RTÉ's decision.
Next year's event will take place on 15 May in Burgas, Bulgaria's Black Sea city.
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The country will join the Netherlands in skipping the world's biggest live televised music event, which has been hit by a string of withdrawals and controversies in recent years.
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The article, shortened and in plain language
Ireland will not participate in or broadcast next year's Eurovision Song Contest, public broadcaster RTÉ said, citing the "ongoing loss of lives in Gaza".
The country will join the Netherlands in skipping the world's biggest live televised music event, which has been hit by a string of withdrawals and controversies in recent years.
RTÉ quoted Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green as saying that the European Broadcasting Union regretted but RTÉ's decision.
Israel came close to winning the competition in both 2025 and 2026, finishing second on each occasion.
However, the Dutch broadcaster said the exclusion of countries in conflict from hosting was not "sufficient", adding that Eurovision could "no longer be considered neutral" given the divisions over the Gaza conflict.
Since its launch in 1955, Eurovision has become the ultimate pop platform, catapulting Swedish icons ABBA to worldwide fame and boosting the likes of Celine Dion, Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John.
Next year's event will take place on 15 May in Burgas, Bulgaria's Black Sea city.
SBS, an associate member of EBU and Australia's official broadcaster of the competition, has confirmed it will broadcast Eurovision in 2027.
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