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Ireland says it will boycott Eurovision for a second year due to Gaza

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Penty, S. (2026, September 17). Ireland says it will boycott Eurovision for a second year due to Gaza. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16139139/Ireland-boycott-Eurovision-second-year-Gaza.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

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Daily Mail · collected 2026-09-17 · by Sabrina Penty

Quick Summary

Ireland’s national broadcaster RTE announced that Ireland will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The 2027 contest is set to be held in Bulgaria's Burgas, and Ireland joins other countries like Iceland, Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain who also boycotted last year’s event. RTE cited the humanitarian crisis and civilian risk as reasons for not participating or broadcasting the competition, despite Eurovision director Martin Green expressing regret over their decision.
Written by AI on 2026-09-17, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

RTÉ, Ireland's national broadcaster, announced on Thursday that Ireland will boycott the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for a second consecutive year due to Israel's participation, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza. RTÉ stated that "the appalling and ongoing loss of lives" in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis make Ireland's involvement unjustified, adding they also won't broadcast the event scheduled for May 2027 in Burgas, Bulgaria. The broadcaster expressed deep concern over the lack of independent access for international journalists to the conflict zone. This decision follows similar actions by other countries like the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain during the previous contest. Eurovision's director Martin Green said while he regrets Ireland’s withdrawal, he respects RTÉ's choice and acknowledges their significant contribution to the event over the years.

Written for “Ireland Eurovision Boycott 2027” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Ireland Eurovision Boycott 2027
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This article reads leans left and hedges 6% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
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How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

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Claims extracted
47
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
6%
3 of 47 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
68/100
Daily Mail's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
7
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-17 · how these are computed

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Daily Mail · 8641 article(s) · 21 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 21 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Sabrina Penty
75 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
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Topics

Eurovision Gaza Ireland Israel RTE

Subjects

RTE ORG · 6× Gaza GPE · 5× Ireland GPE · 5× Israel GPE · 5× Macklemore PERSON · 5× Sheeran PERSON · 5× Bulgaria GPE · 3× Burgas GPE · 3× Ed Sheeran PERSON · 3× Palestine GPE · 2×

Narrative

In a statement on Instagram, Sheeran addressed the controversy, writing: 'I have always used my platform and music to bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together and this won't ever change. 'Those who have been to one of my shows will know that they are about unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome.'
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-17
🔮 - See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Ireland will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for the second year in a row, national broadcaster RTE said on Thursday, citing the ongoing loss of life in Gaza.
2026-09-17 · Daily Mail
Ireland says it will boycott Eurovision for a second year due to Gaza · assertive framing

Claims (47 extracted, 3 hedged)

- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Ireland will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest for the second year in a row, national broadcaster RTE said on Thursday, citing the ongoing loss of life in Gaza. asserted
RTE → see → Gaza
Ireland was one of five countries to not take part in the 2026 edition in protest of Israel's participation, with Iceland, Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain. asserted
Ireland → take → Iceland
Dutch public broadcaster AvroTros last month said it would boycott again in 2027. asserted
it → say → 2027
'RTE feels that Ireland's participation cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk,' the broadcaster said in a statement. asserted
broadcaster → feel → statement
RTE said it would not take part in 2027 or broadcast the competition, which will be held in Bulgaria's Black Sea city of Burgas after they won for the first time in May. uncertain
they → say → May
RTE quoted Eurovision Song Contest director Martin Green as saying that the European Broadcasting Union, which organises the event, regretted but respected RTE's decision. asserted
which → quote → decision
'They remain a valued part of our family and will be missed,' RTE reported Green as saying. asserted
RTE → remain → Green
Israel's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. asserted
ministry → respond → comment
An Eurovision flag flies at the port of Burgas, on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, which will host the 71st Eurovision Song Contest in 2027 Ireland also boycotted Eurovision last year after Israel was allowed to participate despite its military operations in Gaza. asserted
Israel → fly → Gaza
Pictured: Israeli contestant Noam Bettam, who participated in the Eurovision song contest in 2026 Next year's competition is due to take place in Bulgaria's Black Sea resort of Burgas in May, after Bulgarian singer Dara won the 2026 event with her infectious party anthem 'Bangaranga.' uncertain
Dara → picture → anthem
The contest was founded in 1956, in part to help unite a shattered continent after World War II. asserted
contest → found → II
It pits acts from dozens of countries against one another for the continent’s musical crown. asserted
It → pit → crown
Israel has taken part in Eurovision since 1973, one of a few non-European countries to compete. asserted
Israel → take → countries
But calls for Israel to be kicked out have swelled over the conduct of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza. asserted
Israel → kick → Gaza
The 2024 Eurovision contest in Malmo, Sweden, the 2025 in Basel, Switzerland and this year’s contest in Vienna saw pro-Palestinian protests and heightened security. asserted
contest → see → protests
Ireland's decision to boycott Eurovision again this year comes amid growing backlash against singer Ed Sheeran for dropping opener Macklemore from his tour over his comments about Palestine. asserted
decision → boycott → Palestine
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, was dropped from Sheeran's tour after he delivered a politically motivated speech in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank during his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. asserted
he → drop → September
Responding with an Instagram statement after it was confirmed he was leaving, the rapper claimed Sheeran told him billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft orchestrated the move, 'issuing an ultimatum' that the whole tour would be cancelled if Macklemore was not removed. asserted
Macklemore → respond → ultimatum
It comes amid growing backlash against singer Ed Sheeran for dropping opener Macklemore from his tour over his comments about Palestine. asserted
It → come → Palestine
Pictured: Sheeran and Macklemore in 2013 Sheeran addressed the controversy with his own statement, reminding fans he would never publicly take a political stance. asserted
he → picture → stance
Following his comments, it emerged this morning that Irish radio station Classic Hits Radio announced it would no longer be playing Sheeran's music 'for the foreseeable future' after feedback from their audience regarding the situation. asserted
it → follow → situation
Dave Kelly, Group Programme Director at Bay Broadcasting, said the move had been 'carefully considered' and was 'not intended as a personal judgement on Ed Sheeran'. asserted
move → say → Sheeran
He said: 'We acknowledge his own explanation of the circumstances surrounding recent events. ' asserted
We → say → events
As an independent Irish-owned radio station, however, we believe it is important to listen to our audience and to stand alongside Irish artists who have made what is undoubtedly a significant professional decision based on their own convictions. asserted
what → own → convictions
Meanwhile, after news of Macklemore's departure, all of Sheeran's remaining support acts also stepped away from the tour. asserted
all → remain → tour
American singer Finneas wrote: 'Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. asserted
they → write → oppressed
I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. asserted
I → decide → Sheeran
I stand with Palestine and its people.' asserted
I → stand → Palestine
Irish performer Aaron Rowe took a strong stance as he wrote: 'Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life. asserted
Ed → take → life
I could never thank him enough for this. uncertain
I → thank → this
But as Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation.' asserted
we → know → genocide
He continued by saying he 'cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up'. asserted
who → continue → those
Danish band Lukas Graham said: 'We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. asserted
who → say → children
Wherever they live. asserted
they → live → ?
Whatever flag flies over them. asserted
flag → fly → them
Irish band Beoga, who joined Sheeran for eight songs including Galway Girl, also revealed that they are removing themselves from the tour. asserted
they → join → tour
They wrote: 'We have been friends with Ed for over ten years now and will continue to be. asserted
We → write → years
'Playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us.' asserted
that → play → us
Beoga added that Macklemore had been silenced by 'Zionist lobbies' and that the group believed in 'dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people'. asserted
group → add → people
Sheeran lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers in 24 hours after fans criticised him for dropping Macklemore. asserted
fans → lose → Macklemore
…and 7 more, not listed.
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