30 years on, the presenter of the Eurovision that introduced Riverdance to the world reflects on its impact on Ireland. 

On April 30th, 1994, while the votes were being counted for the 39th Eurovision Song Contest, host country Ireland outshone many entrants that night with its interval performance – Riverdance. 

Former RTÉ presenter and Dublin South MEP Candidate Cynthia Ní Mhurchú recalls hosting the competition and watching Riverdance prepare in rehearsals. 

“I was backstage probably doing some fitting and I remember hearing the piercing music of Anúna and it was just amazing,” she told The Anton Savage Show. 

“And then obviously it built up into this dance between Jean and the great Michael Flatley. 

“And then this wonderful, not only a chorus of singers, but the dancers – I'd call them nearly a battalion of dancers.” 

Ms Ní Mhurchú said the creators of the production, including Moya Doherty, were so focused on getting everything perfect that “they didn't allow themselves to dream that it would be launched onto the world stage”. 

The night of the performance, however, it was clear that an international hit was blooming. 

Ms Ní Mhurchú recalls seeing the electric reaction of the crowd, including several notable Irish figures. 

“The first person that I locked eyes with was Albert Reynolds up in the audience – he was Taoiseach at the time – and he was standing, everybody was standing,” she said. 

“Beside him was former president Mary Robinson and I just looked from one pair of eyes to the other, and clapping and whooping, it was wonderful. 

“Then we had a reprise of that when Rock and Roll Kids won.” 

The explosion of Riverdance

The former RTÉ presenter said the explosion of Riverdance came at time when Ireland was truly settling itself as a cultural touchstone. 

“Remember Italia 90,” she said. “We all remember the euphoria that the country felt about being positive about the fact that we could punch above our weight. 

“Little old Ireland, we never had that amount of confidence before, we never had that self-belief before. 

“To have that moment again at Eurovision was phenomenal.” 

After becoming the most well-known act in Eurovision history, Riverdance went onto to perform a full show in the Point (now the 3Arena).  

In its 30-year history, the dance company has played more than 15,000 performances across 49 countries and six continents. 

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