Ukraine is tipped to win this year’s Eurovision song contest, amid an outpouring of sympathy for the country across Europe. 

Millions of Ukrainiansm have been displaced by conflict or are currently fighting sa bhearna bhaoil, but Kyiv was determined that the country would still take part in this year’s contest. 

They will be represented by the Kalush Orchestra - a group who combine traditional Ukrainian folk with modern hip hop and rap. 

2J32TY2 Members of the Kalush Orchestra, Ukraine's representative for the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest shoot a video clip for the Contest, in Jerusalem, April 5, 2022. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Bookmakers Paddy Powers have them down as the favourites to win - with odds of 8/15 in their favour. 

However, Dermot Manning, who has travelled to Turin for his 22nd Eurovision, says even if they win the popular vote, the judges could overrule the public and chose a different winner: 

“I certainly think they will qualify tonight - I think that’s absolutely a guarantee,” Mr Manning told Moncrieff. 

“Will they win on Saturday? That’s harder to say. 

“Eurovision nowadays has a dual scoring system. Yes the public vote is important but that’s 50% of the marks. 

“There are professional juries that give the other 50% and those juries are told to look for songs which have a certain commercial quality and as well as [being] well-staged, well-choreographed, well-put together. 

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“And they might not necessarily go for Ukraine - although of course there will be some sympathy for them.” 

Eurovision has a long history of the public vote being overruled by the professional judges; it happened to Norway in 2019, Russia in 2016 and Italy in 2015. 

All of which means, Ukraine cannot bank on an automatic win because of the huge public sympathy for her plight. 

Ireland

Ireland last won Eurovision in 1996 and this year will be represented by Brooke, 23-year-old Derrywoman, who will be singing That’s Rich. 

Mr Manning said he was optimistic that Brooke would take Ireland through to Saturday’s final as her performance in rehearsals was “very polished”: 

“I’ve seen some of the rehearsals online,” he continued. 

“There’s not as much online as other years. 

“And I haven’t been at the other rehearsals as I would have been in other years as well but what I’ve seen online is a very polished performance. 

“There’s some very good choreography - she looks terrific! 

“And who knows? Fingers crossed!”

Main image: The Ukrainian band Kalush Orchestra. Picture by: ANP PAUL BERGEN.