Petition to make Father Ted's 'My Lovely Horse' Ireland's Eurovision song turned down

Irish MPs said they 'didn't have the musical expertise' to decide

The Irish parliament has turned down a petition to make “My Lovely Horse” from Father Ted Ireland’s official entry in the Eurovision Song Contest.

The petition, entitled “legislate to make “My Lovely Horse” Ireland’s entry for Eurovision 2015”, was formally submitted to the government in May.

It claimed to come from an unincorporated association called “The People of Ireland (and interested Britons too)”.

The Oireachtas petitions committee did actually consider the request on Wednesday but said it could force Ireland’s national broadcaster to submit the entry, the Irish Examiner reported.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, the chairman, said the committee “didn't have the musical expertise” it needed to consider the issue.

The song was made famous in the "A Song for Europe" episode of Father Ted.

A mock music video featured in the comedy series showed Ted and Dougal frolicking in fields with a horse, hugging it and singing to it.

Memorable lyrics included: “I want to shower you with sugar lumps, and ride you over fences, polish your hooves every single day and bring you to the horse dentist.”