1994: The invention of Riverdance

Riverdance was created as an interval act for the 1994 ESC and went on to become a global phenomenon. Riverdance is often seen as a traditional dance with an especially long history. 
 

In his research, historian Eric Hobsbawn, who grew up in Vienna, found that supposedly ancient traditions were often much younger than was assumed to be the case. He coined the term “invention of tradition” to describe this.