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Eurovision: 1981 Trivia Quiz

Take a step back in time and see what you remember about the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest. If you like the quiz, please rate it - if not, please tell me why.

A multiple-choice quiz by CariM0952. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
CariM0952

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
307,309

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
207

Question 1 of 10

1. In which Irish city was the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest held?
Hint

Dublin

Cork

Shannon

Limerick

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which country won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?
Hint

Israel

Iceland

Switzerland

United Kingdom

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Question 3 of 10

3. The UK's 1981 entry was a song called "Making Your Mind Up". Who sang it?
Hint

Liquid Gold

Gem

Hot Gossip

Bucks Fizz

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which two countries returned to the Eurovision competition in 1981? Hint

Yugoslavia and Israel

Yugoslavia and Belgium

Israel and Portugal

Belgium and Portugal

5. The current rules stated that each country had to sing in their own official language - but there are a number of countries with more than one official language. How many entries in the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest were sung entirely in French?
Hint

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which two countries withdrew from the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?
Hint

Greece and Malta

Malta and Morocco

Denmark and Switzerland

Italy and Morocco

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Question 7 of 10

7. For one country, the 1981 contest was their first. Which country had its debut at the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?
Hint

Cyprus

Moldova

Albania

Algeria

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Question 8 of 10

8. Who was the presenter at the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?
Hint

Eileen Dunne

Cathal O'Shannon

Doireann Ni Bhriain

Liam McKenna

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Question 9 of 10

9. There's always a halftime - what group or entertainer performed for the halftime of the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?
Hint

Planxty

Sinead O'Connor

Dubliners

Enya

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Question 10 of 10

10. Twenty countries vied for the 1981 Eurovision Song crown. That means there should have been a 1st position, 2nd position, 3rd etc, all the way to 20th, right? Wrong - or is it? How many countries, if any, tied for position?
Hint

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In which Irish city was the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest held?

Answer: Dublin

Ireland hosted the competition, having won the previous year's contest. The competition was held in the RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion in Dublin.

2. Which country won the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?

Answer: United Kingdom

The UK won with its entry, "Making Your Mind Up", sung by Bucks Fizz. Bucks Fizz formed in 1981 for the purpose of competing in the Eurovision contest. They consisted of four blondes: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Jay Aston. Over their career they had five top ten hits, this being one of them.

3. The UK's 1981 entry was a song called "Making Your Mind Up". Who sang it?

Answer: Bucks Fizz

Bucks Fizz landed the UK's entry. Liquid Gold and Gem competed for the chance to present the British entry. Hot Gossip was a dance troupe whose choreographer worked with Bucks Fizz.

4. Which two countries returned to the Eurovision competition in 1981?

Answer: Yugoslavia and Israel

Israel returned after missing the previous year's competition, and Yugoslavia had been absent since 1976. Incidentally, when the call to Yugoslavia to get their votes was placed, it apparently went to a wrong number. To the laughter of the audience, the woman who answered the call responded, "I don't have it". The correct number was then called and the votes cast.

Answer: 2

Unusually, only two countries sang their entries in French. They were France with their entry, "Humanahum" (no translation) and Luxembourg, with "C'est peut-�tre pas l'Am�rique" ("It May Not Be America").

6. Which two countries withdrew from the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?

Answer: Italy and Morocco

Italy and Morocco did not take part in this year's competition. This was the first time Italy did not take part. Morocco was new to the previous year's competition, but did not return.

7. For one country, the 1981 contest was their first. Which country had its debut at the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?

Answer: Cyprus

Despite Turkey's presence in the competition, Cyprus sent a representative and a song, "Monika". It did fairly well, coming in at sixth place. Albania and Moldova had not yet joined in, and as of early 2009, Algeria has not taken part in the competition.

8. Who was the presenter at the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?

Answer: Doireann Ni Bhriain

Ni Bhriain started her career on Irish radio stations and then on television, reading stories to children. Gifted in languages, she took leave from her radio career to teach in a rural Kenyan school for a year. Returning to Irish radio she became a reporter and later presenter of "Women Today", a current affairs programme aimed at women.

Cathal O'Shannon is a journalist and television presenter, mostly of Irish history documentaries. Liam McKenna, presenter of a top hits television show, was born in 1981. Eileen Dunne is no stranger to the Eurovision competition, but not as a presenter: for many years it was she who announced the Irish jury's decisions.

9. There's always a halftime - what group or entertainer performed for the halftime of the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest?

Answer: Planxty

All are Irish folk musicians, but it was Planxty that performed this year. They were joined by the Dublin City Ballet.

Answer: 4

There were two ties for position. Luxembourg and Denmark tied for eleventh position, and Turkey and Portugal tied for eighteenth.

Source: Author CariM0952

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