RT Announces the Mentor Line Up for Ireland s 0 Eurosong

RT Announces the Mentor Line Up for Irelands 2013 Eurosong 6 November 2012 RT today announced the arrangements for Irelands participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Malmo, Sweden in May 2013.

Following on from Ireland's strong recent performances RT has decided to retain the same mentoring procedure for the ESC 2013 as for the last two years.

Five new Mentors have been appointed representing different backgrounds in the music and entertainment business in Ireland. In the coming weeks they will source songs and singers who, in their view, will compete to best represent the country.

The five Mentors represent different aspects of popular music and are varied in age and expertise. In alphabetical order they are:

Mair ad Farrell is a radio and television star and a lifelong Eurovision fan. A member of Ray D'Arcy's radio team, she has also recently presented Celebrity Bainisteoir.

Shay Healy is a writer and performer who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980 with his song What's Another Year sung by Johnny Logan. He is also known for his work as a television presenter, in particular the popular Nighthawks programme which he presented on RT from 1988 to 1993.

Mark McCabe is a Radio DJ and music producer, in 2000 he had a hit single with Maniac 2000 which remains one of Ireland's biggest selling records of all time.

Niall Mooney is a songwriter and producer based in Galway. He has had previous Eurosong success, co-writing Ireland's 2009 Eurovision entry Etcetera performed by Sinead Mulvey and Black Daisy and Ireland's 2010 entry It's for You performed by Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh

Stuart O'Connor runs Spotlight Stage School and is one of Ireland's top producers and choreographers, he has produced musicals such as Aladdin' and Annie' as well as the recent Best of Eurovision Show in the BGE Theatre.

It will be up to the Mentors to source songs and singers who, in their view, will compete to best represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013.

Details on the five acts and songs will be announced in the New Year and the mentors five chosen songs will be performed for the first time by their acts on The Late Late Show Eurosong 2013 on Friday February 22, 2013.

The winner will once again be decided by a combination of public vote and regional jury.

Commenting, RT Eurovision Co-ordinator Michael Kealy said: "The five mentors this year represent a wide range of experience and talent from the world of music and show business and I believe the songs and acts they choose will deliver a very exciting and competitive Eurosong final in February.

LINK:	http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2012/1106/34453...
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