Ireland's 2020 Eurovision Song Contest entry has been revealed
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Ireland's 2020 Eurovision Song Contest entry has been revealed

IRELAND'S entry for the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest has been revealed.

Lesley Roy from Balbriggan in Dublin will take to the stage in Rotterdam, Holland in a couple of months to represent the country with her new single 'Story of My Life'.

Singers from around Ireland have spent the last 12 months submitting hits to be considered for this year's competition, but the nod eventually went to Ms Roy.

Her song 'Story of My Life' is a triumphant, fast-paced pop-rock jam which centres around staying true to yourself, picking yourself up off the floor and breaking through walls - so to speak.

A lifelong Eurovision fan herself, Roy, 33, said that representing Ireland will allow her to fulfil a lifetime ambition.

"Growing up in Ireland, obviously the Eurovision holds a special place in my heart, as it does for many people," she said.

"It was a very big event in my house every year, we watched and voted on each act and I became a massive fan at a very young age. I’m very lucky that I am from the era of Niamh Kavanagh, Paul Harrington, Eimear Quinn, Riverdance years.

"I feel like the back to back years watching it live from the Point Depot with Gerry Ryan hosting and the explosion of Riverdance left a very deep impression on me as a kid. I definitely made a mental note that this is something I would love to do for Ireland when I grew up. I think I have a very high standard of what a Eurovision song should be because of those memories and that definitely informed the type of song I would send."

She'll be looking to outdo the country's performance in 2019 - which shouldn't be too hard given that Ireland finished (drum roll please) dead last!

Sarah McTernan's song '22' just didn't seem to resonate with the Australians, Israelis, Azerbaijanis and other European voters.

But with the slither now passed to Roy, Ireland will tentatively go in search of their eight Eurovision victory.

And the message behind 'Story of My Life' couldn't be apt, given Ireland's performances of late.

Though considering the contest is usually won by whichever nation is able to charm all their next-door-neighbours into voting for them, being locked in tense Brexit-negotiations with our one and only cup-of-sugar-lender really doesn't make for ideal timing.