‘It was a truly terrible time' – Dana says presidential campaign still feels like ‘well of grief'

Irish Independent

25-04-2025

The singer, who won the Eurovision Song Contest as a teenager in 1970 with her hit song 'All Kinds of Everything', contested the presidential election in both 1997 and in 2011. She was elected to the European Parliament in 1999.
Accusations against her brother, John Brown, were made during her second presidential campaign in 2011. He was acquitted of historic child sexual abuse charges in 2014.
The singer and her brother later settled several libel cases over false claims printed by newspapers.
Speaking to Oliver Callan on RTÉ Radio One today, the former Eurovision winner became tearful as she said it still feels 'like a well of grief' to remember that second presidential campaign.
"I was the first independent that was ever nominated and one of the reasons I ran was because the presidency belongs to the people and yet, it was only the political parties who had the keys to the (Phoenix) Park and it was so undemocratic,' she said.
"I think maybe because in the North we've seen the result of a lack of democracy; I have to speak up if I feel that somebody is not being treated right and often you don't want to speak up, but you do.'
She said she always had a 'grá for independents' as it is a 'harder road', adding: 'You have to really believe and want to do it as an independent. You know what I would love to see?
"I would love to see a young family in the Park because young families are being battered today, it's so hard for them, financial pressures and trying to keep up jobs and mortgages.'
The singer said she would like to see a young family in Áras an Uachtaráin who could 'relate'.
Asked whether she regrets contesting the presidential election twice, she said: 'No, I don't regret anything I've done, because I did it – the second time especially – because of the Constitutional protection that we needed and to highlight that, but that was a truly terrible time.'
During the interview, she became emotional when she was asked whether she has recovered from that time.
She has since discussed the toll it had on her and on her family, and described it as still feeling 'like a well of grief'.
The singer advised future presidential contenders that they must 'absolutely believe that it's what you have to do and not just for yourself, for a reason, for the good of other people'.
"And then, you take whatever comes.'
She apologised for getting upset, adding: 'I'm OK as long as I don't think about it.'
The former MEP said her faith and 'the love from the people of this country' helped her during that time and since.
On whether she feels nostalgic watching the Eurovision, she said the song contest has 'evolved to a different level' since she competed, describing her homecoming from the event as 'wonderful'.
'I'd always get nervous when the Irish entrant was going on. I could just feel what they were feeling – heart pounding, nervous until they get through it. I'd always feel that,' she said.
The singer also said that she is 'so proud' of Johnny Logan and remains friends with previous Irish Eurovision winners like Linda Martin, who she described as a 'formidable woman'.
On whether Ms Martin, who won the Eurovision in 1992 with her song 'Why Me?', has been in touch about her own potential presidential campaign, Ms Scallan joked that she was 'a bit young at this time' as she said: 'No, she hasn't been in touch yet but, you know, we'll see how she gets on if she decides to go that route.'