Save all your Eurovision kisses for Belfast

The director of the Oscar Winning semi-biopic ‘Belfast’ has already made one memorable drone-shot homage to his city in the 21st Century.

The opening colour sequence of the film captured a regenerated, rebuilt Belfast. Sir Kenneth would be a definite go-to candidate to get behind the push.

President Zelensky is occupied with far more important life and death matters – an invasion that has made it too dangerous to stage the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv, as was due. A UK city will play host instead. Perhaps, it would be apposite for all Ukrainians, if that city was the one where a strategically vital anti-tank weapon, which has helped stop Putin’s forces in their tracks, is manufactured. Zelensky and Ukraine could be enlisted to support Belfast as the venue city for Eurovision next May.

But also a city that has emerged from its own dark days, and which 50 years ago was on the brink of civil war.

Belfast has done it before. Eleven years ago it staged the MTV EMAs with 1.2 billion viewers worldwide tuning in for the party on the Lagan. At the City Hall they should already be drawing up plans to convince the organisers of Eurovision and the BBC that Belfast can do it again, and call up some world famous friends old and new to champion the cause; to bring Europop glamour and gaiety to the banks of the Lagan again.