Madam, - As a composer who has long since lost interest in the Eurovision Song Contest, it is a pleasant surprise to find that this year's competition has produced many excellent songs. One of note is the Georgian entry There Will Be Peace.
By contrast, Ireland's entry was several years out of date - a farcical joke typical of the often ridiculous attempts from "emerging" European nations over the past decade.
By now, many countries are taking the opportunity to showcase excellent and earnest songs, often with a unique ethnic slant. It has certainly given the Eurovision Song Contest a worthwhile flavour, celebrating good songwriting and good songs. It would be wise for the powers that be in RTÉ to wake up to this and organise a top-quality national song contest for 2009.
They need to forget reality TV nonsense and figure out how to encourage excellent song writing and singing within this country. - Yours, etc,
KEVIN NOLAN,
Glendoher Park,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.