From Johnny Logan and Dana to years of dominance in the early 1990s, Ireland has a storied history with the Eurovision Song Contest. Ordinarily the country, which holds the joint record for most wins with Sweden, would join the rest of Europe in eagerly awaiting Saturday's grand final. But not this year. Ireland is one of five countries, with Iceland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain, boycotting the contest over the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU's) decision to allow Israel to participate. The competition features no Irish entrant and national broadcaster RTÉ will not be showing events from Austria, airing a Eurovision-themed episode of sitcom 'Father Ted' instead. Ireland's participation in the boycott is the latest in a series of moves that has seen the country at odds with Israel over its war in Gaza and led to it being viewed as one of the most pro-Palestine countries in Europe. Israeli broadcaster Kan has described the absence of Ireland and other countries as a cultural boycott which harms freedom of creation and freedom of expression. But what does the Eurovision boycott mean for young people on the streets of Dublin and those in Ireland's Jewish community? The boycott results from escalating humanitarian concerns regarding the ongoing conflict, which has led to widespread casualties in Gaza since October 2023. The Irish government has condemned Israel's military actions and expressed solidarity with affected journalists and civilians. Public reactions in Dublin show a mix of support and criticism regarding the boycott, highlighting the complex intersection of politics, culture, and community identity amid a significant global event.