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Breithla shona duit (Happy birthday)
Linda Martin turns 60
Being born on 17th of April 1947 it is indeed a fact that Linda Martin is 60 years old today. With nine participations in the Irish final she has marked herself as one of the most frequent singers to take part in a national final, not just in Ireland, but in the whole history of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Linda’s debut in the national finals goes back to 1976 when she was a part of the group Chips that finished second with the song We can fly. Linda participated 4 times in the national final with this group, four times solo and once as a part of Linda Martin and friends, but she only managed to win twice, both times with a song written by Johnny Logan.
In 1984 she finished second in the Eurovision Song Contest with Terminal 3, but in 1992 she won with Why me. This was Linda Martin’s first victory, Johnny Logan’s third and Ireland’s 4th. Those two songs can be watched on the videos further down this article.
For those who want to search for her many songs in the national final which didn’t reach the Eurovision Song Contest here is a total list of her history in the Irish national final:
1976: Chips – We can fly – 2nd place
1977: Chips – Goodbye goodbye 4th place
1978: Chips – Happy days – 4th place
1982: Chips – Tissue of lies – 8th place
1984: Linda Martin – Terminal 3 1st place
1986: Linda Martin – If I can change your mind – 4th place
1989: Linda Martin: Here we go – 6th place
1990: Linda Martin & Friends – All the people in the world – 2nd place
1992: Linda Martin – Why me – 1st place
Esctoday.com would like to wish Linda Martin a very happy birthday and all the best for the future. Breithla shona duit!
1984: Linda Martin – Terminal 3 (Live at the Eurovision Song Contest)
1992: Linda Martin – Why me (Live at the Eurovision Song Contest after she won)
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Dear Lord! I remember her horrible red hair.... She looked practically geriatrics THEN...must be mummified by now
I met Linda a couple of years back and thought she'd already turned 60 ! OOps. She looks older in the flesh.
Carola is 40 at the moment - but she has this enormous thick vein on her forehead, and when she strains herself singing her face looks like a Lordi mask. Scary or what ?
@ David VDP
Totall agree about 'Ik Hou Van Jou'. Its a double mystery of how it received so few points and how the Herreys won. 1984 was a good year but it just wasn't the year for a ballad as is illustrated by the top 4.
I too agree with W S , Terminal 3 and Why Me were bad. I'm sure back in 1992 alot of the other contestants were asking Linda Martin, Why You ?????
1984, it should of been The Netherlands with Ik Hou Van Jou, one of my favourite ever euro songs.
I even had it for the first dance at my Wedding in Holland.
I'm almost surpried this story has not been corrected yet. It just goes to show you can't believe everything you read on the internet. Or is it that ESC TODAY is first with the news - a few years before everyone else?!?
Congratulations. She had to try again.
blue alibi
Mary Spiteri is never 60. That is a vicious and horrid rumour and u know it. She's not a day over 33.
BELLE DE JOUR
The Olsen brothers are in fact even older than they look.
Happy birthday Linda!
" Why me? " as well as " Hold me now " are my favourite irish entries
think carola's older than her ?? 
CONGRATULATIONS to a good, old girlie! 
terminal 3 was better of the Herrey's crap song...
And happy she won in 1992!
Happy birthday Linda.
Linda Martin was 45 when she won in 1992. Who is the oldest winner of Eurovision? I think Toto Cotugno was 47 when he won in 1990 but has there been anyone older. I don't think the Olsen Brothers are as old as they look.
Congratulatins, Linda!
I really like her winning song "Why me". It's kind of romantic...
Exactly Juan. That's why I think she is 50something not 60. And Melina I see her regularly on RTE and she certainly doesn't look 60 even if with surgery.
Linda Martin joined the band Chips in 1969, while she was still at school. A 22 year old schoolgirl?
Those who say "oh, she doesn't look at all like 60", well, the photos here (and the clips, obviously) are from 1992 or 1984, so she's nowhere near 60 in those photos... 
But it's really positive that there are people who look younger than their age, so many look older than their age these days... I really don't know why it's supposed to be a good thing to look older! But so many do.
Btw, I agree with those who said I treni di Tozeur should have won, or been 2nd at least, in 1984!
i dont understand why she won either. i think she was wondering as well lol anw i liked her in 84 the song was much better
And if she really is 60 she looks great for her age!
> Being born on 17th of April 1947 it is indeed a fact that Linda Martin is 60 years old today.
What universe are you in Charlotte? My calendar tells me that today is the 13th (Friday the 13th), and NOT the 17th, so she will turn 60 on Tuesday - not today.
Wow... Would never have guessed she was 60! She looks at least 10 years younger.
Always liked her, and both her Eurovision entries were great songs. She came so close in 1984 and definitely deserved winning in 1992, and she was my favourite that year too. She also seems like a really nice person. I wonder if she has ever released a Best Of/Greatest Hits collection with her songs. Anyone know?
Happy birthday Linda!
From 1984 my favourite song is 'I Treni di Tozeur', but in 1992 Linda was my favourite and I am glad she won.
Are you sure she is 60? I think she's a bit younger.
1984 was a great puzzle to me too - how could Sweden and Ireland come ahead of the all time great Det Lige Det.
Still don't understand why she won back then. I hate "Why me". There were much better songs that year: Cyprus, Italy, Yugoslavia, Israel. And 1984 puzzles me even more. Sweden first and Ireland second, both with horrible, and I mean disgusting, songs. Italy had "Treni di Tozeur" that year, and the Netherlands were also very underrated.
Oh! There must be something with ESC 1992. Mary Spiteri (Malta 92) will also turn 60 this year...and she does not look that age neither!
even our mary spiteri who placed third that year with LITTLE CHILD. TURNED 60 . BOTH WOMEN LOOK GREAT FOR THEIR AGE. wot a year that was!!
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