The former attorney general Mr John Rogers will tonight try to become Labour's general election candidate in Co Meath - but he is facing competition from a fellow barrister.
Mr Peter Ward, who was a leading campaigner in the pro-divorce campaign, is also seeking the nomination. Both men have worked together and are said to be friends.
Labour Party sources said yesterday they expected a close contest, with one believing it could end in a tie. If that happens a name will be drawn from a hat. Twenty-four people are entitled to vote.
"It will be very close. I wouldn't even want to call it," said constituency PRO Ms Joanne Rourke .
"It's one of the most exciting things to happen in the Labour Party in this constituency for a very long time."
The convention in Navan will be chaired by the party's general secretary, Mr Mike Allen, and party leader Mr Ruairi Quinn is due to attend. Mr Ward, a native of Navan, who still has family there, has been canvassing intensively.
Mr Rogers, who lives near Slane, applied for selection in the Dublin South West constituency for the 1992 general election but failed. He has also shown an interest in standing in Dublin North Central.
A senior adviser to Mr Dick Spring during his time in government, Mr Rogers was attorney general in the mid-1980s.
He came to public attention again in June when he wrote an article for The Irish Times stating that democracy in Ireland would suffer if the Nice Treaty was ratified.
His stance caused annoyance to the Labour Party which advocated a Yes vote.
Mr Ward, a former law lecturer at University College Cork, played a leading role in the campaign to introduce divorce in the State.
He produced a booklet, Divorce in Ireland: Who Should Bear the Cost. He was also the author of a Combat Poverty report on the financial consequences of martial breakdown.
It is expected that both men will address tonight's meeting, although neither wanted to comment when contacted yesterday.
The party general secretary said that a year ago the party had no candidate in the constituency and now "we have two excellent candidates for selection which is a sure indication that we will win the seat".
Meath is a five-seater constituency. At present there are three Fianna Fail TDs, and two Fine Gael.
It is the constituency of the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, and the former Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton.
Mr Brian Fitzgerald, the Labour candidate who failed to get re-elected in 1997, intends to run as an Independent candidate in the general election.