FORMER Sex Pistol John Lydon could be filling the Pretty Vacant spot for Ireland at Eurovision after being entered for RTE’s Eurosong competition.

The Irish Sun can reveal that songwriter Niall Mooney has entered a song — described as a cross between country and punk — into the annual contest.

3 Ex-Sex Pistols star John Lydon is looking to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Credit: Getty - Contributor

Lydon’s manager John Rambo Stevens has also confirmed that if RTE accepts the idea, the star will rework Niall’s song with his band Public Image Limited.

Lydon told the Irish Sun: “It would be a great honour for me to represent Ireland for the Eurovision Song contest”

The prospect of “Johnny Rotten”, 61, representing Ireland at the Eurovision at Lisbon, Portugal, next May is already giving RTE Eurovision bosses sleepless nights.

But Mooney, who composed song Pleased to Meet You with Brendan McCarthy, said bringing in the punk singer is exactly the kind of thing RTE asked songwriters to come up with at a Eurovision forum held by the broadcaster this year.

3 John Lydon was the lead singer of the Sex Pistols during their 1975 -'78 heyday Credit: Getty - Contributor

He said: “RTE told us to find singers who are used to playing to big crowds, a catchy song and, most of all, something unexpected which has never been done before at Eurovision.”

Niall, who previously wrote Eurosong entries for Niamh Kavanagh and Sinead Mulvey, has now penned a catchy cow-punk track called Pleased To Meet You.

It was Niall’s wife Grainne who suggested getting the former Sex Pistols frontman. And the composer was gobsmacked with the positive reply from Lydon’s team.

Niall said: “I wrote to Johnny’s management, describing the idea of Johnny representing Ireland in Eurovision.

"They came back to me saying, ‘You may be surprised but we totally get this’.”

The songwriter was amazed last week when Lydon spoke to Paul McLoone on Today FM, who asked about a rumour he might represent Ireland at Eurovision next year.

3 Songwriter Niall Mooney

Lydon told the show: “I am fully qualified as an American-English Irishman, well travelled, up and at it, and ready.”

Niall said the next move will be up to RTE. However, an insider said the station is not keen on the idea.

They said: “This could be even worse for Ireland than Dustin the Turkey with John Lydon screaming into a microphone at Eurovision in Portugal next year.”

The decision to send Dustin in a shopping trolley as Ireland’s failed 2008 Eurovision entry is believed to have done incalculable damage to our reputation in Europe. RTE is due to reveal Ireland’s 2018 entry after Christmas.