FORMER X FACTOR star Eoghan Quigg is among the singers hoping to represent Ireland at this year’s Eurovision.
Patricia Roe, Can-linn, Andrew Mann and Laura O’Neill have also been chosen as potential Eurocrooners by five mentors appointed by RTÉ.
They’ll battle it out to represent Ireland and hopefully garner all the “douze points” they can in Copenhagen in May.
Rock n Roll kids
The mentors “with proven experience in the Irish music industry” were given their task last November.
Valerie Roe chose her sister, Eurosong veteran Patricia Roe and her self-penned song Don’t Hold On.
Mark Murphy selected Eoghan Quigg and The Movie Song, written by Karl Broderick. Quigg came third in X Factor in 2008, while Broderick composed Ireland’s 2005 Eurovision entry.
Hazel Kanewaren worked with other songwriters on Heartbeat for Can-linn, while 2FM’s Cormac Battle wrote Be Mine for Andrew Mann.
Can-linn is described as:
A collaborative music act featuring traditional Irish instruments such as the bodhrán and fiddle, complimented by the urban-styled vocals of Kasey Smith.
Andrew Mann meanwhile appeared on The Voice of Ireland in 2013 and his mentor Corman Battle is the former frontman of the band’s Kerbdog and Wilt.
Finally Aslan’s Billy McGuinness chose Laura O’Neill as his act. Her song You Don’t Remember Me was written by Don Mescall and Lucie Silvas.
O’Neill made it to the X Factor boot camp in 2011 and currently fronts a wedding band.
Why me?
You’ll get a chance to hear all the tunes for the first time tomorrow afternoon on Rick O’Shea’s 2FM show from 2pm. Derek Mooney will play the songs from 3pm on Radio One.
The five will then go head to head on The Late Late Show on 28 February and the winner will be chosen by a combination of public and regional jury votes.
What’s another year?
Ireland will then compete in the second semi final in Copenhagen on 8 May. The Eurovision final takes place on 10 May.
Last year Ireland came… er.. last. Who wants to join the campaign to wheel out Johnny Logan’s lucky white suit for this year’s contestant?
