RTE, the Irish national broadcaster has confirmed to ESCToday.com that the 2015 Irish national final will most likely be held at the end of February in Dublin,Ireland.

As we reported earlier Ireland will opt for a national final in order to select its 2015 Eurovision entry and act for Vienna, the Irish broadcaster has revealed its plans for the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest today. The former 5 mentor mechanism which has been used in the previous years has been eradicated and replaced by an open selection process.

RTE has published the rules and regulations for the 2015 Irish national final Eurosong 2015. Artists/composers can submit their applications until 31 October. Hereafter a special panel of judges will shortlist the number of applications. RTE plans to have a national final with 5-6 entries competing for the golden ticket to Vienna. The exact number of competing entries in Eurosong 2015 will be determined by RTE and the special pannel of judges after evaluating all the submitted entries.

The 2015 Irish Eurovision national final is expected to be held in February and the 2015 Irish Eurovision act and entry will be selected via a 50/50 jury-televoting deliberation.

RTE’s executive producer  for Eurovision Mr. Michael Kealy has commented regarding the forthcoming Irish national final:

Ireland has a track record at Eurovision which is second to none but finding a song and an artist who can perform at the biggest entertainment show in the world is not an easy task. This year we have decided to have an open selection process for Eurosong 2015 and we want to hear from the very best songwriters and performers who believe they have what it takes to compete at the highest level in Vienna next May.

In 2014 RTE opted for the 5 mentor and 5 act mechanism with a national final to select its Eurovision entry for Copenhagen. Cann Linn featuring Kasey Smith represented Ireland at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest with Heartbeat. The country failed to qualify to the grand final in Copenhagen.

Ireland debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in  1965 and has won the event a total of 7 times ( 1970,1980,1987, 1992,1993, 1994,1996) and is the country that has won the event the most times.

Ireland holds many Eurovision records: The Emerald Isle is also the only country that has won the contest 3 years in a row ( 1992, 1993, 1994) and has hosted it 3 years in row too ( 1993, 1994,1995). Eire is also the country that has won the event twice with the same singer, Johnny Logan (1980 and 1987).

Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for the latest news on Ireland and the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest!