Jedward to enter Eurovision mix

Their tuneless warblings added to the gaiety of the nation in troubled times, but now Jedward could end up representing Ireland in the Eurovision.

The identical twin brothers John and Edward Grimes will join four other acts singer-songwriter Don Mescall, singers The Vard Sisters, Nikki Kavanagh, who was a backing singer for Niamh Kavanagh (no relation) and an as yet to be named quartet made up of two boys and two girls in the Irish final which will be broadcast on the Late Late Show in a fortnight's time.

In another attempt to break Ireland’s abysmal run of luck in the Eurovision, RTÉ decided to ask five mentors in the music business to select an act and a song to go forward to the national finals.

Caroline Downey, the wife of MCD promoter and the organiser of the Childline concert, chose Jedward.

Downey said she had been impressed with their performance at the last Childline and they had improved dramatically from the shamobolic and often hilarious performances on X-Factor.

“You have to remember they have been gigging solidly for the last year and they have learned to sing and dance.

"They are going to bring some life and some energy for the competition and the song I've picked for them to sing (Lipstick) is a really upbeat, Eurovision song. We need to return to the fun of the 1970s and 1980s. It is one that suits them," she said.

Eurovision producer Julian Vignobles said the twins would not have an unfair advantage given their profile as the winner would be half decided by the public and half by a jury.

He said the failure of Boyzone singer Mickey Graham to win last year’s national song contest demonstrated that boy band singers did not always succeed.