Ireland will not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2027, with Irish public broadcaster RTÉ confirming on 17 September that it will also not broadcast the competition.
The decision marks Ireland’s second consecutive Eurovision boycott and comes amid continued opposition to Israel’s participation in the contest.
RTÉ said its position “remains unchanged”, stating that Ireland’s participation “cannot be justified” given the “appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza” and the humanitarian crisis affecting civilians in the Palestinian territory.
The broadcaster also said it remains “deeply concerned” by the continued denial of independent access to international journalists to Gaza.
More than 73,000 Palestinians had been killed in Gaza between 7 October 2023 and 21 June 2026, according to figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported by the UN Health Cluster.
Ireland had already withdrawn from Eurovision 2026 in Vienna after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed that Israel would remain eligible to participate. Ireland was one of five countries that did not take part in the 2026 contest, alongside Iceland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain.
The Netherlands has also confirmed that it will not participate in Eurovision 2027. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS said in August that the contest could no longer be considered neutral while a participating country remained involved in a large-scale military conflict.
Responding to RTÉ’s decision, Martin Green, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said that the EBU regretted Ireland’s withdrawal but “fully respect[s] their decision”. He added that RTÉ remains a valued part of the Eurovision community and that the EBU would remain in dialogue with the broadcaster.
Ireland is one of the most successful countries in Eurovision history, having won the contest seven times. Its last victory came in 1996 with Eimear Quinn and ‘The Voice’.
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