In May 1970 the eighteen-year-old singer from Derry won the Eurovision song contest. Her career since has seen her host her own television series in the US, meet Presidents Ford, Reagan, Clinton and Bush, and sing for the Pope on several occasions.

In 1997 she shocked the Irish political establishment by gaining 15% of the popular vote as the first-ever independent candidate for the Presidency, and two years later was elected as a Member of the European Parliament.