The Irish public did not fully support the anti-Israel actions of Eurovision contestant Bambie Thug, as Jewish singer Eden Golan received the second-highest number of viewer votes from Ireland. The Eurovision Song Contest was overshadowed by the conflict between Israel and Hamas this year, with protests in Sweden and attempts to ban Israel from the competition by anti-Israel contestants like Bambie Thug. Despite vocal opposition, Golan received the most votes from the TV audience, coming in second only to Croatia’s Baby Lasagna. On the other hand, Bambie Thug received more votes from the jury than the public, finishing in sixth place overall. Despite efforts to have Israel disqualified, Golan’s success prevailed. Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris praised Bambie Thug’s performance and used their preferred pronouns. Thug declared the contest a victory for the LGBTQIA2S community after Swiss rapper Nemo won. Thug expressed pride in representing non-binary individuals and hoped to inspire children to feel more comfortable with their identity.
