The act received such a positive response that Son Records and Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) decided to release "Riverdance" as a single.

The song's success inspired Whelan to use "Riverdance" as a springboard to conceive an album of similar material and the theatrical show of the same name, which would open in February 1995.

Whelan, wanting to create an act that illustrated Ireland's cultural history, produced the full score with accompaniment from traditional Irish dancing.

Anúna and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra were then selected to perform the song, and the dance routine was choreographed by Michael Flatley, who acted as the lead dancer alongside Jean Butler.

Days after the contest ended, worldwide praise of the performance continued to arrive, and the interval act's popularity eventually overshadowed Ireland's third consecutive winning entry, "Rock 'n' Roll Kids".

[12] After its debut, "Riverdance" held the number-one position on the Irish chart for a record-setting 18 weeks, eventually dropping to number two in early September.