A puppet on a string?

Well, maybe not quite on a string, but still a puppet nonetheless.
Yes, it’s Dustin the Turkey – Ireland’s entry to this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
As a big fan of the contest, I was almost shocked to read that the puppet had won the Irish pre-selection to the contest.   After all, was it not Ireland that brought us some of the best Eurovision ballads?
When I think of Ireland in the Eurovision, two songs immediately come to mind: “Rock’n’roll Kids” (winner in 1994) and “In Your Eyes” (winner in 1993).  This was part of “my” golden age for the contest – opening up to new countries in Eastern Europe, before they became smaller and more numerous, requiring the contest in two stages.
They were also the songs that accompanied me through my student year in Germany – the first winning before I left the UK and the second winning whilst I was there.
Last year, however, I became somewhat disillusioned by what seemed to be tactical voting.  I am please to see that the EBU has tackled this problem by splitting the contest into two semi-finals and making countries that often vote for each other take place in different ones from each other.
But still, I think the charm of the evening’s entertainment has been lost by spreading it out over three instead!
I guess the contest will just keep getting bigger and bigger…