greatest eurovision moment ever! it encapsulates everything it means to be irish, the music the dance the celtic culture. it showed off our identity to over 300 million europeans, no wonder it toured the world for years- majestic in every way. it makes the heart soar. soul energizing!
I remember watching it with my mouth dropped open!!! I thought it was (and still do) one of the greatest pieces of showmanship I have ever seen. Everything about it was PERFECT!!!! Still blows me away!!!!!!!!
What makes this epic is that it starts all mystical and then: Jean Butler comes in with all her grace and you think: 'this will be the climax'. But then Flatley defies gravity with such ease giving a stunning tap dance. You think:'I was wrong: this is IT'. 6 more dancers join: 'Well, this is IT then!'. Then the bomb. 18 more people join putting 'A Chorus Line' to shame. It just kept on coming. Climax upon climax. This was the birth of a new area. I saw it live in '94. I'm still watching it.
1994 was a good year for Ireland, we won the Eurovison for the 3rd time in a row and we produced Riverdance.It's hard to imagine now how brilliant this was at the time.
And has there ever been any intermission act that has become such a huge global phenomenon as Riverdance. This 6 minute show, made for the Eurovision Song Contest intermission act, was where it all began.
To give you all some context: we were sat in front of our TV's bored by the Eurovision torture..then these guys came on...it was the first time we had see our Irish Dance danced like this...was the first time we heard our music played like this...we were stunned and blown away..our usual references were gone.. changed forever...you can tell this by the outrageous applause of the crowd who were seeing it in person and also as surprised as us. A night I will never forget. We were proud to be Irish
I always watch this when I need a lift. The emotion is due to the combination of rhythm, music and movement done to perfection. There is nothing better
I will always love this performance. I'm a bit biased. I had just moved to The Netherlands from Montreal. My apartment was completely empty except for a small black and white TV lent to me by my landlord. I flipped it on an behold the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest featuring Riverdance. To say the least it was a powerful and inspiring performance I shall never forget. Dank u for posting it.
best ESD interval act i've ever seen, gave me goosebumps when i saw this performance and still does today! my mum always said that michael flatley looks like a galoping horse when he firsts appears!
I will never tire of watching Jean and Michael performing in the original version of Riverdance. THERE was talent! She, beautiful, he, hansome, and both outstandingly professional. Wish you had the whole show. Thanks
I got goosebumps all the way through but got the most during the singing and when Jean was dancing on her own. Brings back so many memories. No one will ever out do Michael Flatley.
Theres something about this performance, the atmosphere at the beginning. Not to mention THAT SOUND those metal plates striking off the ground is like an instrument itself and the unison of the whole troop at the end, it is immense
I love this video. I showed it to some of my non-Irish friends (I have a lot of foreign friends) and they were spellbound. It was brilliant to see their faces. The precision and accuracy is unbelievable. You never get as much discipline in dancing as you do in Irish dancing. Ballet is probably the only exception.
Yes, yes and yes! The manner in which Riverdance was born was so surprising to everyone watching. The interval act at the ESC was until this point a fairly dull if earnest affair; a well-meant attempt at vague nationalism through performance art. The roar of the crowd and the standing ovation at the end of this piece sums up what simply cannot be expressed in words. I know as a youngster watching this in 1994, it had a profound effect on me, that also cannot easily be expressed.
Nothing will ever beat this interval act!!!!!!! This would cheer up the most depressed person in the world. Love it and always will, and it really makes me proud to be Irish!!!
Really makes me proud to be an Irishman... I was only four that year and watching just now was something close to other worldly!!! I'm not much into tap dancin meself but I give full props to michael for what he and the rest of them pulled off that night...And to think that was only the intermission!!!!
This was all there was to the act in this program. I don't have any more Riverdance-related material, and even if I did, I am very superstitious about uploading whole shows. Because I notice when channels start to do that, they tend to be blocked fairly quickly or threatened into blocking. But glad to show this clip to the world :)
Probably one of the Great moments in Irish history ! It certainly put The Irish back on the map for a long time after,and Who cared who Won The Eurovision song contest that night ?
Noone remembers the songs, but EVERYONE remembers this. The pinnacle of Eurovision. Only the Irish could produce such high art combining breathtaking dance and stunning Celtic music - and that's praise from an Englishman! Incidentally, this music was adapted by Bill Whelan from a piece written about 12 years earlier by Planxty.
I was ten years old when this was televised!! Just watched it for the first time on youtube.....ie.it's been years sinceI've watched this....absolutely amazing!! Fair enough we think of Riverdance as somethng we hear everyday...but this is it at the beginning and the birth of it!! Magic...nó draíocht mar a dheará!! Maith sibh!! Bhí mé beagnach libh!" Stop mé ag damsha le O'Shea's music school!!! Absolute brilliance :*
The camera shot on their foot timing was just fucking brilliant! loved every part of this. They all looked nervous but didnt realise how well the public loved itxxx
This is AMAZING, ive watched this so many times ive lost count. I love the music, the choreography and the dancers, amazing, sends a chill down my spine. Wish i could say i remembered this but I was only 4 at the time, i also wish i could say I'm proud to be irish however i happen to be swedish LOL. Ireland is amazing :) the word amazing can never be overused on this video. AMAZING.
Ireland has to win the songcontest once again and do a act like this one as interval! Gonna see them in Amsterdam on dec 19th!!!! Cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I remember about a week after this was on originally, they were showing the dancing again on RTE one day and I was in the middle of a sports club bar when it was on and the whole place erupted into applause at the end. It was gas, nobody was watching the match at all.
I keep coming back to this.........it blows me away EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!!!!! I just can't get enough. Thank you for posting the whole sequence because I think the beggining is also superb.
It had started to look rosey in the Irish garden for once then BOOM!!!! We launch this on the world. Suddenly everyone was talking about little Ireland. We had come from a worse economic quagmire then than the one we are in right now. It may take time and effort and some considerable hardship but we'll dig our way out of this one too. Never write us off.
I know that it was subsequently flogged to death ad nauseam, but the impact of this show was electrifying! Michael Flatley and Jean Butler had such charisma. Easily the greatest interval performance and maybe the greatest ever Eurovision performance of all time?
absolutely adore riverdance. but how the heck do they stay in time? it all flawless. this was amazing!!! if i was doing this i would have fallen or tripped. no matter how much pratice i had.
Still tears me up every time. There was so much good feeling in the country at that time. We'd had good tournaments in euro 88 and world cup 90 and were on our way to USA 94 without England, Scotland, Wales or N Ireland. We had big jack, big Paul, Packie, Keano, Denis, Houghton, et al. We had elected a woman president from the labour party, symbolically throwing off the old boys' club. The economy was growing exponentially, unemployment was at an all time low. It had started to look rosey in th
Thank you so much for uploading such a clear copy of this amazing performance. I remember watching it live too and being completely blown away by how awesome it was, just as it still is today.
I remember seeing this in 1994. Eurovision interval acts are usually pretty crass, but this one overshadowed everything else in that years show, and showed that in spite of all the criticism, Eurovision has launched a lot of very good things over the years.
Movienaut, this was first entitled "Riverdance", which became the show title. When the show debuted in New York, it had been changed to "Cloud Song/ Riverdance". The Cloud Song is the part with words. I agree, it's quite a piece.
you should be! I would be too :) I am learning how to tap dance but to become good you need to practice, and watch the masters. Thats why im here :D This is high class tap dancing!
One of the very few events from Eurovision that was a success here in the United States. The others..."Volare", "Eres Tu","Waterloo", "OH, Ah, Just a Little Bit", and "Save Your Kisses For Me". Unfortunately, Eurovision hasn't made it above a cult following here in teh United States, though there have been, a number of performers born in the United States that have perfomed in Eurovison.
greatest eurovision moment ever! it encapsulates everything it means to be irish, the music the dance the celtic culture. it showed off our identity to over 300 million europeans, no wonder it toured the world for years- majestic in every way. it makes the heart soar. soul energizing!
I love how the applause at the end reflects just how blown away the audience was having just witnessed this performance.
I remember watching it with my mouth dropped open!!! I thought it was (and still do) one of the greatest pieces of showmanship I have ever seen. Everything about it was PERFECT!!!! Still blows me away!!!!!!!!
Unforgettable the emotions on seeing this for the first time
My heart still goes BOOOOM watching this........And also tears in my eyes.The original and ONLY Riverdance. Absolutely BRILLIANT.
What makes this epic is that it starts all mystical and then: Jean Butler comes in with all her grace and you think: 'this will be the climax'. But then Flatley defies gravity with such ease giving a stunning tap dance. You think:'I was wrong: this is IT'. 6 more dancers join: 'Well, this is IT then!'. Then the bomb. 18 more people join putting 'A Chorus Line' to shame. It just kept on coming. Climax upon climax. This was the birth of a new area. I saw it live in '94. I'm still watching it.
Jean and Michael. Two Irish Americans who put us on the map that night! Outstanding.. And RIP Gerry, you were a great presenter!
1994 was a good year for Ireland, we won the Eurovison for the 3rd time in a row and we produced Riverdance.It's hard to imagine now how brilliant this was at the time.
And has there ever been any intermission act that has become such a huge global phenomenon as Riverdance. This 6 minute show, made for the Eurovision Song Contest intermission act, was where it all began.
To give you all some context: we were sat in front of our TV's bored by the Eurovision torture..then these guys came on...it was the first time we had see our Irish Dance danced like this...was the first time we heard our music played like this...we were stunned and blown away..our usual references were gone.. changed forever...you can tell this by the outrageous applause of the crowd who were seeing it in person and also as surprised as us. A night I will never forget. We were proud to be Irish
England, UK.
That night, It was exactly the same in my lounge.
Totally and utterly FANTASTIC!
I always watch this when I need a lift. The emotion is due to the combination of rhythm, music and movement done to perfection. There is nothing better
17 years on and this is still as amazing as the day it was performed! One of the best things to ever come out of Eurovision! :D
I will always love this performance. I'm a bit biased. I had just moved to The Netherlands from Montreal. My apartment was completely empty except for a small black and white TV lent to me by my landlord. I flipped it on an behold the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest featuring Riverdance. To say the least it was a powerful and inspiring performance I shall never forget. Dank u for posting it.
I needed something to cheer me up today and I thought of this. When Ireland is having a down moment, well, let's remember that we once did this.;)
best ESD interval act i've ever seen, gave me goosebumps when i saw this performance and still does today! my mum always said that michael flatley looks like a galoping horse when he firsts appears!
I will never tire of watching Jean and Michael performing in the original version of Riverdance. THERE was talent! She, beautiful, he, hansome, and both outstandingly professional. Wish you had the whole show. Thanks
Next to Abba, Riverdance was the best thing ever to come out of Eurovision. Spectacular... still gives me goosebumps!
Still sends shivers down my spine 16 years later.
Went to see the show a few years ago and I just was transfixed the whole time
Yes, indeed an utterly fantastic show! No wonder the crowd went wild at the end. Without a doubt, the best interval act ever.
The best interlude act EVER in Eurovision and I have watched it live for 50 years now!
I got goosebumps all the way through but got the most during the singing and when Jean was dancing on her own. Brings back so many memories. No one will ever out do Michael Flatley.
Just watched the interval act for the eurovision tonight... after all these years they can never beat the original river dance! Just nothing compares.
Theres something about this performance, the atmosphere at the beginning. Not to mention THAT SOUND those metal plates striking off the ground is like an instrument itself and the unison of the whole troop at the end, it is immense
I love this video. I showed it to some of my non-Irish friends (I have a lot of foreign friends) and they were spellbound. It was brilliant to see their faces. The precision and accuracy is unbelievable. You never get as much discipline in dancing as you do in Irish dancing. Ballet is probably the only exception.
I am so proud to be Irish. This is just spectacular
Yes, yes and yes! The manner in which Riverdance was born was so surprising to everyone watching. The interval act at the ESC was until this point a fairly dull if earnest affair; a well-meant attempt at vague nationalism through performance art. The roar of the crowd and the standing ovation at the end of this piece sums up what simply cannot be expressed in words. I know as a youngster watching this in 1994, it had a profound effect on me, that also cannot easily be expressed.
Amazing. So proud ot be Irish :)
i like how at the start it just clapping. but when it finishes the whole place is clapping, cheering and a standing ovation. totally phenomanal.
Nothing will ever beat this interval act!!!!!!! This would cheer up the most depressed person in the world. Love it and always will, and it really makes me proud to be Irish!!!
I was 13 and I think I watched this Eurovision Song Contest with my Granny... It was (and is!!!) amazing!
never tire of watching this amazing
Really makes me proud to be an Irishman... I was only four that year and watching just now was something close to other worldly!!! I'm not much into tap dancin meself but I give full props to michael for what he and the rest of them pulled off that night...And to think that was only the intermission!!!!
The Austrian commentators is Ernst Grissemann. He is generally very composed, but he sounded quite impressed considering his usual manner.
This was all there was to the act in this program. I don't have any more Riverdance-related material, and even if I did, I am very superstitious about uploading whole shows. Because I notice when channels start to do that, they tend to be blocked fairly quickly or threatened into blocking. But glad to show this clip to the world :)
Probably one of the Great moments in Irish history ! It certainly put The Irish back on the map for a long time after,and Who cared who Won The Eurovision song contest that night ?
Noone remembers the songs, but EVERYONE remembers this.
The pinnacle of Eurovision. Only the Irish could produce such high art combining breathtaking dance and stunning Celtic music - and that's praise from an Englishman!
Incidentally, this music was adapted by Bill Whelan from a piece written about 12 years earlier by Planxty.
one of the most stunning highlights of Irish entertainment history .... I remember it as if it was yesterday
I was ten years old when this was televised!! Just watched it for the first time on youtube.....ie.it's been years sinceI've watched this....absolutely amazing!! Fair enough we think of Riverdance as somethng we hear everyday...but this is it at the beginning and the birth of it!! Magic...nó draíocht mar a dheará!! Maith sibh!! Bhí mé beagnach libh!" Stop mé ag damsha le O'Shea's music school!!! Absolute brilliance :*
This is the first time I've seen this and it makes me really proud to be Irish. I have goose bumps wow
i was 10 the first time seen this on the eurovision and 17 years later it still gives me goosebumps!
Who'd have guessed a piece of music in 7?8 time could sweep the world. Brilliant composing the whole piece..
The camera shot on their foot timing was just fucking brilliant! loved every part of this. They all looked nervous but didnt realise how well the public loved itxxx
Watching it live must have been some experience... I mean, just watching this tv recording of it blows me away.
This is AMAZING, ive watched this so many times ive lost count. I love the music, the choreography and the dancers, amazing, sends a chill down my spine. Wish i could say i remembered this but I was only 4 at the time, i also wish i could say I'm proud to be irish however i happen to be swedish LOL. Ireland is amazing :) the word amazing can never be overused on this video. AMAZING.
Ireland has to win the songcontest once again and do a act like this one as interval! Gonna see them in Amsterdam on dec 19th!!!! Cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Riverdance is amazing! I think i've nearly cried twice watching this!
I remember about a week after this was on originally, they were showing the dancing again on RTE one day and I was in the middle of a sports club bar when it was on and the whole place erupted into applause at the end. It was gas, nobody was watching the match at all.
I keep coming back to this.........it blows me away EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!!!!! I just can't get enough. Thank you for posting the whole sequence because I think the beggining is also superb.
Still love watching this....happy sigh. Anuna singing beautifully, the wonderful dancing and that music.
It had started to look rosey in the Irish garden for once then BOOM!!!! We launch this on the world. Suddenly everyone was talking about little Ireland. We had come from a worse economic quagmire then than the one we are in right now. It may take time and effort and some considerable hardship but we'll dig our way out of this one too. Never write us off.
I was 8 when I first saw this and was so unbelievable proud to be Irish! Still am! ;)
I was impressed by Grissemann's pronounciation of "Flatley" :).
That just totally lifted my spirits looking at that.Recession my back,look what we can do when we try!
Saw this live 7 times in London, and just came across this clip. Still gets the foot tapping!!
More then 15 years later and it's still.....just amazing.
6:58
"Hey, Michael."
"Yes, Jean?"
"We just became famous beyond our wildest dreams."
"Cool."
this is why i am proud to be irish and i am proud to able to do dancing like that
I know that it was subsequently flogged to death ad nauseam, but the impact of this show was electrifying! Michael Flatley and Jean Butler had such charisma. Easily the greatest interval performance and maybe the greatest ever Eurovision performance of all time?
absolutely adore riverdance. but how the heck do they stay in time? it all flawless. this was amazing!!! if i was doing this i would have fallen or tripped. no matter how much pratice i had.
This still gives me goosebumps after all these years x
THIS is the point where the world started to think, wow! The Irish are actually really cool!
Certified and approved goosebumps material
I love irish music and dance!!!!!!!!!!!!
when i saw this on tv i fallen in love with Ireland
if Eurovision included dancing, this would probably be the greatest winner of Eurovision of all time.
Just breathtaking!!!!Wow the stage is incredible also!
Seeing Riverdance live in New Zealand in two months time for the Farewell Tour! Can't wait :D
This act raised the bar so high for the ESC 'Interval' act that no one has ever come anywhere near it in the 18 yeas since.
Does anyone else get really emotional watching this? my eyes fill up!
Genialni sa powinni występować na rozpoczęciu mistrzostw!!!!!
This is the dictionary definition of a tour de force.
The best Eurovision interval performance ever.
Still tears me up every time. There was so much good feeling in the country at that time. We'd had good tournaments in euro 88 and world cup 90 and were on our way to USA 94 without England, Scotland, Wales or N Ireland. We had big jack, big Paul, Packie, Keano, Denis, Houghton, et al. We had elected a woman president from the labour party, symbolically throwing off the old boys' club. The economy was growing exponentially, unemployment was at an all time low. It had started to look rosey in th
beautiful. absolutely beautiful.
Thank you so much for uploading such a clear copy of this amazing performance. I remember watching it live too and being completely blown away by how awesome it was, just as it still is today.
still makes me cry with joy and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up
I remember seeing this in 1994. Eurovision interval acts are usually pretty crass, but this one overshadowed everything else in that years show, and showed that in spite of all the criticism, Eurovision has launched a lot of very good things over the years.
We Irish should get another chance to host Eurovision
the most memorable television debut of all time SURELY?
Movienaut, this was first entitled "Riverdance", which became the show title. When the show debuted in New York, it had been changed to "Cloud Song/ Riverdance". The Cloud Song is the part with words. I agree, it's quite a piece.
I get very emotional watching it!
Gives me chills every time
Always will love this.
It's the cheer at the end always gets me.
And a legend was born.
Gerry Ryan i miss you dearly you have given me so much advice over the years as an upcoming broadcaster Rip my friend
Makes you so proud to be Irish!
*goosebumps induced by talent*
"oh, we're just gonna have about 26 dancers on stage doing synchronized foot movements, piece of cake"
FAVed the vid. 'nuf said. Most brilliant peace I've ever seen. PERIOD.
They basically should have said goodnight and who cares who won eurovision. Simply and utterly brilliant from all the dancers.
Poor Gerry Ryan..RIP... At least he can say he was there to introduce it....Still get goosebumps...
This is the Ultimate version of Ireland's Greatest Moment.
Im in love with that dancing girl , jean butler !!
One of those rare moments where the Interval act completely outshone the whole show.
Very good i love it
you should be! I would be too :) I am learning how to tap dance but to become good you need to practice, and watch the masters. Thats why im here :D This is high class tap dancing!
Обалдеть!!! The best!!!
Damn, so cool, I was born in 1994, and I remember when I was in my moms belly and watched this ! emotional!! :p
One of the very few events from Eurovision that was a success here in the United States.
The others..."Volare", "Eres Tu","Waterloo", "OH, Ah, Just a Little Bit", and "Save Your Kisses For Me".
Unfortunately, Eurovision hasn't made it above a cult following here in teh United States, though there have been, a number of performers born in the United States that have perfomed in Eurovison.