Go Dustin!

Dustin the Turkey has been chosen to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade in May. He won Eurosong 2008 with his song 'Irelande Douze Pointe'.

Dustin will now compete in the first Eurovision semi-final on Tuesday 20 May. If successful he will appear in the final on Saturday 24 May. Bookmakers William Hill have installed Dustin the Turkey as the 10-1 favourite to win Eurovision.

The company's spokesman, Tony Kenny, said: "These days you have to be either from the old Eastern Bloc or have a great gimmick to win Eurovision - and a singing turkey will possibly be one of the most bizarre things that a Eurovision audience will ever see. He'll go to Belgrade on a wing and a prayer and, fingers crossed, he'll ruffle a few feathers when he gets there,"

Here's the song -

GO Dustin. He'll be getting my vote!

Ireland to choose a turkey for Eurovision?

While it is usual for Eurovision songs to be turkeys no actual turkey has yet performed a song in the competition. However, that may change if the people of Ireland choose Dustin the Turkey to perform Irlande douze points at the final. Sung in a North Dublin accent Dusting urges the contest judges to “give douze points to Ireland, for its lowlands and its highlands, for Terry Wogan's wig and Bono's leather pants. We brought you Guinness and Westlife, 800-years of war and strife, but we all apologise for Riverdance.”

Glove puppet Dustin, who appears on RTE children’s show the Den, has already had several hits in Ireland but his flippant attitude has not gone down well in certain quarters. Frank McNamara, who wrote two of the Irish Republic's seven winners, said that the selection of Dustin by RTE, the state broadcaster, as one of the six acts was “giving two fingers to Irish songwriters”. Shay Healy, who wrote Johnny Logan's Eurovision winner 'What's Another Year?” questioned “how any bunch of grown-ups could come up with this as a solution”.

It looks as if some people take Eurovision too seriously. As far as I’m concerned it’s a great excuse to have some friends around for beer and a bloody good laugh!