Ireland and the Eurovision: The Good, the Bad and the Mad is on at 9.35pm on RTÉ One, while Republic of Telly (10.00pm RTÉ2) wraps for the season, with guest Úna Foden. Who is for Liberation? Radharc Revisited (11.35pm RTÉ One) recalls Archbishop Romero.
Ireland and the Eurovision: The Good, the Bad and the Mad
9.35pm RTÉ One
Russian grannies, Derry teenagers, Polish milkmaids, Finnish metalheads, Jedward (pictured) and the Bearded Lady – what's not to like? This year marks 50 years of Ireland's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. The great Butch Moore sang Ireland's first entry back in 1965 with the charmingly evocative, noirish and rather damp Walking the Streets in the Rain. Ireland has won the Eurovision more than any other country with great songs like The Voice, In Your Eyes and Rock 'n' Roll Kids. Once upon a time, even when we finished down the ranking somewhat, the songs were often strong and seemed to deserve better. (We would say that, wouldn't we?) Dickie Rock and Come Back to Stay anybody? Classic.
Republic of Telly
10.00pm RTÉ 2
'Jen of the Week' for the final show of the series is Úna Foden, who is appearing in two sketches. These are as follows: Real Republic: Charity Song and Fair City Terminator. In the former, Bernard suggests a fake charity and a single to make some money. Their chosen beneficiary is the, ahem, bringing back toys in cereal boxes charity. Needing the help of a celeb, they call Úna Foden. In Fair City Terminator, it's 1988 and Úna has just written a draft script of Fair City's first episode. The Terminator is sent back in time to destroy the script and ensure that Fair City never comes to pass.
Who is for Liberation? Radharc Revisited
11.35pm RTÉ One
On May 23, Archbishop Oscar Romero (pictured) will be beatified, 'Blessed' as a modern-day martyr, because he was killed for condemning poverty as sinful and preaching a gospel of liberation for the poor of El Salvador in Central America. Thirty-five years ago, the RTÉ series Radharc broadcast a film about the conflict in El Salvador entitled Who is for Liberation?, featuring the Irish Franciscan missionaries in El Salvador. Mick Peelo revisits the old film and puts it into a contemporary context.
