Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan
Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan are a celebrated Irish musical duo who captured the hearts of Europe when they won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 with their poignant ballad, "Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids." Written by Brendan Graham, the song features a simple yet compelling arrangement of piano and guitar, paired with reflective lyrics that explore themes of youthful innocence and the passage of time. Their emotive performance resonated deeply, earning Ireland its sixth Eurovision victory and marking the third win in a remarkable three-year streak from 1992 to 1994. "Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids" has since become a timeless classic, representing the rich musical heritage of Ireland.
Release Date: 1994
Eurovision Outcome: Winner
Chart Performance: Achieved significant acclaim across Europe, solidifying its place in Eurovision history.
Follow Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan’s musical journey as they continue to inspire with their heartfelt melodies.
Watch the video by Eurovision Song Contest
Video “Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan – Rock 'n' Roll Kids | 🇮🇪 Ireland | Winner of Eurovision 1994” was uploaded on 08/06/2025 to Youtube Channel Eurovision Song Contest



































Thank you Charlie for signing the letter with the other 70+ artists.
I know it’s not particularly fondly remembered, but this is one of my favorite winners.
Before entering the Irish National final and winning the 1994 contest, Charlie McGettigan had several attempts to represent Ireland at Eurovision. Here is the list:
1.1984: As a performer, he participated in the Irish National Final with the song "Bee Bop Delight," finishing in 4th place.
2.1987: He returned as a performer with the song "Are You Shy?" and secured 3rd place in the Irish National Final.
3.1994: Alongside Paul Harrington, he performed "Rock 'n' Roll Kids," which won both the Irish National Final and the Eurovision Song Contest itself. This marked Ireland's record-breaking third consecutive victory.
4.2015: He composed the song "Anybody Got a Shoulder," which was performed by Kat Mahon in the Irish National Final. The song finished in 2nd place.
In 1998, Paul Harrington came back at the contest as a backing vocal for Dawn Martin.
Poland is real winner Eurovision 1994❤❤🇵🇱
The most underrated song in Eurovision history. Deserved to win
This is the best Irish eurovision song ever. Fight me 😀
It's a beautiful song. I also love the Portugal 1994 song: 'Chamar a Música', Sara Tavares.
One of the very few cases where the instruments on stage are played live, not by an orchestra or via the playback
Eurovision's equivalent of Extreme's "More Than Words"
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Unpopular opinion: one of the best winners ever. ❤ I think this is my 2nd favorite after Amar pelos dois.
The greatest winning Eurovision song of all. Simple, real and performed live with real instruments. No fireworks or fancy graphics. Real music. It would be great if the artists nowadays actually played live and played musical instruments.
The best of all Irish 90's win. Simple, sweet and warm. Still a hit today
The nostalgia is captured perfectly in 3 minutes.
I’ve listened to every Eurovision song but this song is easily my favorite of them all
Paul Harrington returned 4 years later as a backing singer. He was also spokesperson for Ireland in 2024, 30 years after that historic victory.
My favourite Irish entry thus far. And honestly, I'd love another track just like it at Eurovision in the near future.
Amazing song ❤
No choreography, no nudity, just two lads with perfect voice and they won, What a time it was
I loved this, but felt sorry for edita gorniak who came second. That remains my favourite Eurovision song to date.
No cause why was all the good Eurovision songs out before o was born (Norway 2018 was good)
Next to Denmark of 2002