THE YEAR 1980 marked the beginning of a golden era for Ireland's Eurovision hopes when Johnny Logan won the song contest with the Shay Healy song What's Another Year.
The song contest was held in the Hague after Israel, which had won the previous year, said it did not have the means to host the event again and the BBC declined to take it on.
What's Another Yearwas later selected as one of the 14 greatest Eurovision songs in a television programme marking the 50th anniversary of the contest. Abba's Waterloowas voted the best Eurovision song of all time.
Logan won the contest again in 1987 with Hold Me Nowand wrote the Linda Martin song Why Me?which won the song contest for Ireland in 1992. He also wrote Terminal 3, also sung by Martin, which came second in 1984.
Ireland's other Eurovision victories in a remarkable run of success were Niamh Kavanagh with In Your Eyesin 1993, Charlie McGettigan and Paul Harrington with Rock 'n' Roll Kidsin 1994 and Eimear Quinn with The Voicein 1996.
What's Another Yearreached number one in the British charts in May 1980 and stayed there for two weeks. The Pretenders took the first number one slot of the year with Brass in Pocket.
The best-selling single of 1980 was Don't Stand So Close To Meby the Police.
It was a good year for Debbie Harry and Blondie with three number one hits – The Tide is High, Atomicand Call Me.
St Winifred's school choir gained its 15 minutes of fame by claiming the last number one of the year with There's No One Quite Like Grandma.
The late John Lennon, who was shot dead on December 8th, reached number one the following week with (Just Like) Starting Overfor the penultimate number one of the year.
