In 1970 the Eurovision song contest was won by Ireland, and so the 1971 event was to be held in Dublin. There was controversy, as a Catholic from Northern Ireland, Clodagh Rodgers, was chosen to represent the UK. She went ahead with her performance despite death threats from the IRA.
There had been logistical problems, too, in the selection of her song, as viewers, who were supposed to choose the UK entry after she had performed the six possibilities on the It’s Cliff Richard television show, could not because of a postal strike, and a studio panel had to make the selection.
