Eurovision representative chosen amid heated scenes

Collaborative Irish music act Can-Linn featuring lead singer Kasey Smith were last night selected to represent Ireland in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

The group, which features traditional Irish instruments such as the bodhrán and the fiddle, will perform Heartbeat, written by Jonas Gladnikoff, at the ceremony in Copenhagen from Thursday, May 8th.

Smith formed part of the BT Music Award nominated girl band Wonderland, which was put together by former Westlife member Kian Egan as well as Louis Walsh.

Mr Walsh was at the centre of an argument on the special Eurosong edition of last night's Late Late Show where the song was chosen by a combination of public votes and jury panels around the country.

Aslan's Billy McGuinness, whose act Laura O'Neill sang You Don't Remember Me , claimed Mr Walsh should not have been on a discussion panel critiquing the contestants due to his ties to Smith and another contestant, Eoghan Quigg, whom he mentored on British singing competition The X Factor in 2008.Quigg finished the voting in second place with The Movie Song, while the other acts were Patricia Roe who sang Don't Hold On , and Andrew Mann who sang Be Mine.