'I avoided any opinions online' - Mayo songwriter on Eurovision jury duty
Ballina man Liam Geddes chats about his experience as this year's juror for the entries at Eurovision 2025 Basel, Switzerland
Mayo songwriter and musician Liam Geddes, one of Ballina’s own, has made a name for himself far beyond the banks of the Moy. Liam was a co-writer for the song “Hollow,” Latvia’s entry for Eurovision 2024, which got 64 points in the Grand Final and finished in 16th place.
This marked a proud moment for Ballina as Liam’s talent took to the European stage. This year Geddes was part of the Irish jury, evaluating the other participants.
READ: PLAYER RATINGS: How the Mayo players fared against Cavan
“The Eurovision show this year was amazing. The staging and production were incredible. Every year, it feels like they’re raising the bar. From that perspective, it was absolutely fantastic,” Liam stated afterwards, speaking to The Mayo News.
“It was a huge honour being part of the jury. Having previously entered a song in last year’s Grand Final, it was fascinating to see things from another perspective.
It’s a reminder of how massive the production is and how much work goes into it. Liam's personal favourite was Austria, the eventual winners, for a reason: “The melodies were incredible, the performance was great, and it struck a balance between commercial appeal and that signature Eurovision drama. It was just a really cool, interesting entry.”#
As part of the jury, Liam didn't have to travel to Basel in Switzerland though, where Eurovision this year was held. The juries watch the performances from their home countries.
“As for the logistics, I can’t share too much detail, but essentially, we watch the shows-both the dress rehearsal and the grand final-and each juror makes an individual decision based on what they feel, aiming to be as unbiased as possible.”
The preparation for jury duty on Eurovision evolves mostly about watching the performances and trying not to have any preconceived opinions. It’s not mandatory to listen to the songs beforehand.
The key is to approach it without bias, explains Geddes, judging each song on its own merits during the shows.Secrecy on social media is paramount for jurors, said Liam: “I avoided expressing any opinions online. You’re not really allowed to share your thoughts on social media while serving as a juror.”
He said he would do it again, unless he has a song entered himself. In that case one wouldn't be allowed to participate, obviously.
Unfortunately, it wasn't Ireland's year this time. Laika Party, performed by Emmy, didn't qualify for the Grand Final.“It hasn’t been going our way lately, unfortunately,” analyses Liam: “I thought Bambi Thug last year were amazing-unique and divisive, which is often the mark of a good song. This year’s entry was strong too and, in my view, deserved to go through. There’s so much Irish talent; I’d love to see us get creative and keep pushing forward. The standards are just so high now, with so many people making music at a professional level.”
Liam says, he'd love to see more Irish artists and songwriters taking up the challenge. There’s every reason to believe 'we’ll bring it home again one day'.
Maybe it'll be up to him. Liam says he plans to try to get another song in at some point. But he would also love to be a juror again. So who knows, we might see the Ballina man involved with Eurovision again.
READ: Mayo beach loses Blue Flag status for 2025 with eleven beaches awarded
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