Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest fifty-four times since its first entry in . Norway had won the contest on three occasions: in 1985 with the song "La det swinge" performed by Bobbysocks!, in 1995 with the song "Nocturne" performed by Secret Garden and in 2009 with the song "Fairytale" performed by Alexander Rybak. Norway also had the two dubious distinctions of having finished last in the Eurovision final more than any other country and for having the most "nul points" (zero points) in the contest, the latter being a record the nation shared together with Austria. The country
Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 Ireland competed in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia. The country was represented by Sinéad Mulvey & Black Daisy with their song "Et Cetera". It was unknown for some time how Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ), the Irish broadcaster would select the Irish entry for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. RTÉ had had plans to have a large-scale national final like that of last year's contest. However the current financial situation in Ireland have made this impossible, and it was debatable whether a national final would be held at all, with an