Linda Martin

Born in Belfast in 1952,{{cite web|url = https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2021/0418/1210289-linda-martin-bombarded-with-memories-on-return-home/| publisher = RTÉ | website = rte.ie | title = Linda Martin 'bombarded with memories' on return home | date = 18 April 2021 | accessdate = 23 September 2022 }} Martin is of Irish, Scottish and Italian ancestry. Her father's family's surname was originally Martini. Her paternal great-grandfather Francis Martini was born in Dublin to immigrants from Saronno, north of Milan, Italy. Two of Martin's maternal great-grandparents, William Green and Elizabeth Nangle, had a coal-mining background; they had transferred to Belfast from Larkhall, Scotland.[http://www.rte.ie/tv/whodoyouthinkyouare/s1/outline_linda-martin.html "Who do you think you are?"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150303181850/http://www.rte.ie/tv/whodoyouthinkyouare/s1/outline_linda-martin.html |date=3 March 2015}}, rte.ie; accessed 14 October 2016.

Martin began her musical career when she joined the band Chips in Omagh in 1969. They quickly became one of the top bands in Ireland on the live circuit, and released hit singles "Love Matters", "Twice a Week" and "Goodbye Goodbye" during the mid-to-late 1970s.{{Cite web |url=http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=artist&placement=Chips |title=Irish Charts – Search – Chips |access-date=14 March 2024 |archive-date=14 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314142333/http://irishcharts.ie/search/placement?page=1&search_type=artist&placement=Chips |url-status=live }} In 1972, Martin left Chips to be a vocalist with new group Lyttle People, but rejoined her former bandmates the following year.

The group appeared on Opportunity Knocks in 1974 and appeared a number of times on British television promoting their singles, but never scored a UK hit. With multiple entries to the Irish National finals of the Eurovision Song Contest, the band carried on into the 1980s. They scored a final Irish hit in 1982 with "David's Song (Who'll Come With Me)", after which Martin left when she won the Castlebar Song Contest with "Edge of the Universe" in 1983. From this point, she concentrated on a solo career as well as occasional live appearances with Chips until they recruited a new lead singer (Valerie Roe) in the late 1980s.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

She participated in the National Song Contest four times as a member of Chips; however, they did not score successfully. She participated another four times in the contest as a soloist and once more as part of the group 'Linda Martin and Friends'.{{Cite web |url=http://www.irish-showbands.com/irelandsongcontest.htm |title=National song contests – Ireland |access-date=7 August 2010 |archive-date=13 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413112058/http://www.irish-showbands.com/irelandsongcontest.htm |url-status=live }} With nine participations, she has been the most frequent entrant in the National Song Contest's history. She won the contest twice, going on to represent Ireland twice at the Eurovision Song Contest.

The first of these victories was in 1984 with the song "Terminal 3", written by Johnny Logan (under his real name Séan Sherrard). The song came second in the final, being beaten by eight points. "Terminal 3" reached No. 7 in the Irish charts.[http://www.allkindsofeverything.ie/IrishCharts.htm Irish Eurovision songs in the Charts – Linda Martin] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602094127/http://www.allkindsofeverything.ie/IrishCharts.htm |date=2 June 2010}}, allkindsofeverything.ie; accessed 14 October 2016. The second victory was in 1992 when her song "Why Me" (also written by Logan) went on to win the final in Sweden. This became Ireland's fourth victory in the Eurovision Song Contest, and the song reached No. 1 in the Irish chart as well as becoming a hit in many European countries.

Martin was, at the time, one of only three artists to finish both first and second at Eurovision, behind Lys Assia and Gigliola Cinquetti. Since then, only Elisabeth Andreassen and Dima Bilan have achieved this, raising the number to five. Martin was the first of the three artists to finish second first and first second, matched only later by Bilan.O'Connor, John Kennedy. The Eurovision Song Contest – The Official History. Carlton Books 2007. {{ISBN|978-1-84442-994-3}}

Martin was one of the hosts on the RTÉ quiz show The Lyrics Board,{{cite web|url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-41052254.html | work = Irish Examiner | title = Culture That Made Me: Linda Martin on Queen, Abba and A Touch of Frost | date = 23 January 2023 | accessdate = 14 March 2024 }} and also served as one of Louis Walsh's behind-the-scenes team on the first series of ITV's The X Factor.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

She also served as a judge on the first,{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/news/bitchiness-youre-a-star-linda/26217366.html | work = Irish Independent | title = Bitchiness? You're a Star, Linda | date = 1 February 2004 | accessdate = 14 March 2024 }} second and fourth seasons of RTÉ's You're a Star and on Charity You're a Star in summer 2005 and summer 2006. While she was dismissed from later seasons,{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/life/youre-a-star-linda/26593052.html | work = Irish Independent | title = You're a star, Linda | date = 20 December 2009 | accessdate = 14 March 2024 | quote = Linda [..] was let go as a judge from You're a Star }} speaking on Saturday Night with Miriam on RTÉ television on 28 July 2007, she said that she was "open" to being invited back on to the show. Martin did not rule out a return to Eurovision following Ireland's dismal performance in the 2007 contest finishing last with only five points.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

She was a guest performer at Congratulations, the 50th anniversary Eurovision concert in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October 2005. Martin was also the Irish spokesperson for Eurovision Song Contest 2007 and was one of the five judges for Eurosong 2009 (Irish Selection for Eurovision). In 2012, she was the mentor for Jedward in the Irish Eurovision final Eurosong 2012.{{cite web |first=Victor |last=Hondal |title=Ireland: RTÉ to repeat 2011 selection formula |url=http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/17782 |work=EscToday.com |date=2 November 2011 |access-date=3 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104170746/http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/17782 |archive-date=4 November 2011}}

During the interval of Eurovision 2013, the host Petra Mede presented a light-hearted history of the contest, during which she explained to viewers that Johnny Logan had won the competition three times, in 1980, 1987 and 1992. Appearing alongside Linda Martin in some vintage footage she joked that he had won the third time disguised as a woman, saying, "I recognise a drag queen when I see one". The joke proved controversial, particularly in the Irish media. However, on 1 June 2013, during an appearance on RTÉ's The Saturday Night Show Martin said that she had actually benefited from all the publicity.{{cite web |url=http://wiwibloggs.com/2013/06/02/ireland-linda-martin-gets-lucky-responds-to-drag-queen-slur/27938 |title=Ireland: Linda Martin Gets Lucky, Responds to "Drag Queen Slur" |publisher=Wiwi Bloggs |access-date=13 October 2013 |archive-date=14 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014160429/http://wiwibloggs.com/2013/06/02/ireland-linda-martin-gets-lucky-responds-to-drag-queen-slur/27938/ |url-status=live }} On the same show she performed a cover of the song "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk.

Martin has also appeared in pantomime, in Dublin. She starred in Cinderella as the Wicked Stepmother, Snow White as the Evil Queen and Robin Hood as herself, at the Olympia Theatre.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

She toured Menopause the Musical with Irish entertainer Twink. While on tour, Twink described Martin as a "cunt" during a tirade in May 2010. The two had been friends for 30 years but both said afterwards that they had no plans to speak to each other again.[https://archive.today/20120801165625/http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/how-i-overheard-pal-twinks-twohour-fourletter-rant-about-me-to-cast-linda-2189065.html How I overheard 'pal' Twink's two-hour four-letter rant about me to cast] Herald.ie, 21 May 2010.[http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/feuding-twink-and-linda-keep-their-distance-2310244.html Feuding Twink and Linda keep their distance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311231430/http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/feuding-twink-and-linda-keep-their-distance-2310244.html |date=11 March 2011 }} Irish Independent, 25 August 2010.

• "Why Me?" also reached No. 59 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 29 on the Dutch Singles Chart.{{cite book |first=David |last=Roberts |title=British Hit Singles & Albums |publisher=Guinness World Records Limited |location=London |edition=19th |year=2006 |isbn=1-904994-10-5 |page=352}}{{Cite web |url=http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Linda+Martin&titel=Why+Me%3F&cat=s |title=Dutch Charts "Why Me?" |access-date=28 November 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102124945/http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Linda+Martin&titel=Why+Me%3F&cat=s |url-status=live }}

Martin was in a relationship with the musician Paul Lyttle from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s.{{cite news |last1=Walsh |first1=Andrew |title=Tributes pour in for Irish showband star Paul Lyttle |url=https://www.hotpress.com/culture/tributes-pour-in-for-irish-showband-star-paul-lyttle-22968262 |access-date=11 April 2025 |work=Hotpress |date=15 May 2023}}

Since her childhood in east Belfast, Martin has nurtured an interest in animals and now operates a dog sanctuary in north Dublin.{{cite news |last1=Wrona |first1=Adrianna |title=Eurovision winner Linda Martin says political party has sounded her out to run for President |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/eurovision-winner-linda-martin-says-political-party-has-sounded-her-out-to-run-for-president/a1407211979.html |access-date=11 April 2025 |work=Irish Independent |date=19 February 2025 |language=en}}

In February 2025, Martin revealed that she had been approached by a unnamed political party to run in the 2025 Irish presidential election.

• List of people on the postage stamps of Ireland (1997)

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{IMDb name|id=1215386|name=Linda Martin}}
• [http://www.diggiloo.net/?1992ie "Why Me?" lyric]
• [http://www.diggiloo.net/?1984ie "Terminal 3" lyric]

{{s-start}}

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{{succession box

| before={{flagicon|Sweden}} Carola
with "Fångad av en stormvind"

| title=Winner of the Eurovision Song Contest

| years=1992

| after={{flagicon|Ireland}} Niamh Kavanagh
with "In Your Eyes"

}}

{{succession box

| before=The Duskeys
with "Here Today Gone Tomorrow"

| title=Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest

| years=1984

| after=Maria Christian
{{nowrap|with "Wait Until The Weekend Comes"}}

}}

{{succession box

| before=Kim Jackson
with "Could It Be That I'm In Love"

| title=Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest

| years=1992

| after=Niamh Kavanagh
with "In Your Eyes"

}}

{{Succession box|

before= Gay Byrne|

title=Eurovision Song Contest Ireland Commentator|

years=1985 |

after=Gerry Ryan

}}

{{S-end}}

{{List of Eurovision Song Contest winners}}

{{Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest|state=collapsed}}

{{Eurovision Song Contest 1984|state=collapsed}}

{{Eurovision Song Contest 1992|state=collapsed}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Linda}}

Category:1952 births

Category:Living people

Category:Eurovision Song Contest winners

Category:People from Northern Ireland of Italian descent

Category:People from Northern Ireland of Scottish descent

Category:Women singers from Northern Ireland

Category:Pop singers from Northern Ireland

Category:People from Omagh

Category:CBS Records artists

Category:RTÉ television presenters

Category:Castlebar Song Contest winners

Category:Musicians from County Tyrone

Category:Broadcasters from Belfast

Category:1960s in Irish music

Category:1970s in Irish music

Category:1980s in Irish music

Category:1990s in Irish music

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