Eurovision Song Contest 1981
| Eurovision Song Contest 1981 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Dates | |
| Final | 4 April 1981 |
| Host | |
| Venue |
RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion Dublin, Ireland |
| Presenter(s) | Doireann Ní Bhriain |
| Conductor | Noel Kelehan |
| Director | Ian McGarry |
| Executive supervisor | Frank Naef |
| Host broadcaster | Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) |
| Interval act | Planxty with "Timedance" danced by Dublin City Ballet |
| Participants | |
| Number of entries | 20 |
| Debuting countries |
 Cyprus
|
| Returning countries |
 Israel Yugoslavia
|
| Withdrawing countries |
 Italy Morocco
|
|
|
| Vote | |
| Voting system | Each country awarded 12, 10, 8-1 point(s) to their 10 favourite songs |
| Nul points |
 Norway
|
| Winning song |
 United Kingdom"Making Your Mind Up" |
The Eurovision Song Contest 1981 was the 26th event of its kind, and was held on 4 April 1981 at the Simmonscourt Pavilion of the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin. The presenter was Doireann Ní Bhriain. The United Kingdom's Bucks Fizz were the winners of this contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up", beating second place Germany by four points. This year is remembered for the performance of this British band, which launched the group's hugely successful international career, and included a dance-routine where the two male members ripped the skirts off the two female members only to reveal mini-skirts, and today stands as one of the defining moments in the contest's history.
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland. Dublin is in the province of Leinster on Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey. Founded as a Viking settlement, the Kingdom of Dublin became Ireland's principal city following the Norman invasion. The city expanded rapidly from the 17th century and was briefly the second largest city in the British Empire before the Acts of Union in 1800. Following the partition of Ireland in 1922, Dublin became the capital of the Irish Free State, later renamed Ireland.
The contest took place under heavy guard at the 15,000 seat Simmonscourt Pavilion of the RDS, which was normally used for agricultural and horse shows. Over 250 armed soldiers and police were on hand to protect against any likely political demonstrations.
Having won the year before, Ireland hosted the 1981 contest - the second time they had done so. As in 1971, the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest was produced by the country's broadcaster RTÉ. The presenter on this occasion was Doireann Ni Bhriain, who was well known in Ireland at the time as a TV presenter and for the current affairs radio show Women Today. She was chosen for her fluency in Irish and English as well as having studied French, which she spoke with some ease. The director was Ian McGarry, while Noel Kelehan was the chief conductor for the show.
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