It comes after Nemo, the winner of the 2024 contest, announced yesterday that they will be returning their trophy.
In a video posted online by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign on Friday, McGettigan said that last night as he was about to go to sleep, he got a message on Instagram from Nemo.
“They were saying that in protest at Israel’s inclusion in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, they are returning their trophy to the European Broadcasting Union,” said McGettigan, who won with the Brendan Graham-penned Rock ’n’ Roll Kids.
“They came across as sincere and a very intelligent person and stated their case very well, and therefore in support of Nemo I would like to return my trophy to the EBU as well.
“Unfortunately our win was in 1994 and I can’t lay my hands on whatever trophy we received back then, but if I do find it I will return my trophy as well. Thanks for listening.”
The IPSC saod: “Following on from 2024 winner Nemo doing the same yesterday, this is great solidarity with the Palestinian people. The EBU is wrecking its own contest to preserve Israel’s artwashing of genocide but the tide has turned and artists and the public reject that!”
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Nemo, the 2024 winner announced they will be returning their trophy after Israel was permitted to compete in next year’s contest.
The 26-year-old Swiss singer, who won the competition with their song The Code, was the first openly non-binary musician to win Eurovision.
In a statement posted on Instagram, they wrote: “Last year I won Eurovision and with it I was awarded the trophy.
“And even though I’m immensely grateful for the community around this contest and everything this experience has taught me both as a person and artist, today I no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf.”
Nemo winning Eurovision. Photo: Getty
The singer’s decision comes after Iceland earlier this week became the fifth country to boycott the 2026 contest over Israel’s participation because of its conduct of its war in Gaza, where the death toll has passed 70,000.
Iceland joined Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and the Netherlands in saying that they will not be a part of next year’s competition, amid calls for Israel to be excluded over its military action in Gaza.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been among the leaders who have called it genocide.
Eurovision winners Paul Harrington, left, and Charlie McGettigan with his wife Goretti in 1994. Photo: Independent Newspapers Ireland/NLI Collection
News in 90 Seconds – 12 December 2025
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