Sing for Ireland at Eurovision? My mum & dad would be chuffed

Ex-Pistol chokes back ears ahead of contest

- SANDRA MALLON

EUROVISION hopeful John Lydon broke down in tears as he spoke of his pride at possibly representing Ireland at this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

Tonight, six acts - including Lydon and his band Public Image Ltd will find out who gets to represent us in Liverpool in May at a special Eurosong contest on the Late Late Show, hosted by Ryan Tubridy on RTE One.

Yesterday, the former Sex Pistols legend became emotional when he was asked by the Irish Mirror if he thought it was an honour to represent Ireland at the contest.

Choking back tears before walking away from the press conference, he said his mum and dad would be "chuffed".

He told us: "It would be nice. My mum and dad would be ever so chuffed. In many ways they're with me right now... I've got to go, I've got to get ready.

Lydon told how "many people had been in contact" with him over the years to urge him to represent Ireland.

He added: "The opportunity came up, it's as simple as that." The band's song, Hawaii, is a musical love letter to his wife Nora, who is living with Alzheimer's and John hopes that it raises more awareness of the illness.

He said: "It wouldn't have been something I planned. I wrote a song that I wanted to be absolutely poignant about the catastrophe my wife is going through, I think I've succeeded... I'm not sure.

"Here we are now with a larger audience to share that with us, there are a lot of people a lot worse off than us.

"Maybe they see something in this, if we can bring to forefront Alzheimer's being such a limiting illness. It's the saddest thing of it all to watch the slow deterioration and demise of someone you have loved for 45 years.

"It's not the only place of significance to her but that was the one I picked out. It's very, very tear-jerking for me to even talk about it.