I genuinely can't overstate the effect that this single performance had on Ireland as a country.

I saw this on VHS the afternoon following broadcast, pre-internet, pre-twitter, the grape vine was aflame with this being a must-see event. Of course I considered myself far too cool to have seen it broadcast during the Eurovision, but curiosity got the better of me. I finally agreed to watch it as my father was raving about it and wanted to show it to me on tape.

Hear that roar of approval at the end? That's the sound of Ireland, as a nation, spurred on by it's World Cup success, it's newly booming economy, the success of The Commitments, and the global stardom of U2, finally letting go of the collective cultural shame it felt for it's diddle-eye bullshit past, reinventing itself and saying "You know what, we *are* fucking great, and our culture is something to be proud of".

I think nationalism and patriotism are bullshit. But here, now, 25 years later, it's genuinely just brought a tear to my eye for what probably will not be the last time.

Um, it says 90s in YouTube.