The twenty-five finalists competed for a first prize of €50,000,[4] which was eventually won by Mulkerrin Brothers of the Aran Islands.
[5] Shane Lynch expressed his concern over the tactical voting of other judges, saying that he felt some of them were deciding upon their marks in what he viewed as an incorrect way.
[11] Referring to the elimination of his dance act Raw Edge Crew, Lynch commented: "They should have done it (progressed)... and there was tactical voting involved".
Judge Shane Lynch advanced her despite the protests of his advisors Evelyn O'Rourke and John Keogh.
The duo write their own hip hop tracks and describe their songs as "accessible soft rap".
Raw Edge Crew are a group of dance teachers from Blanchardstown aged from twenty to twenty-three.
They have been together for seven years and have previously represented Ireland in dance competitions in the United States and Germany.
He plays the electric fiddle, and performed his own piece in the auditions called, "Daithí Embraces the Night".
[15] Lilac Blues are a four-piece original band from the Midlands, Kathleen and Laura are on vocals singing in melodic harmonies, Emmett on drums, and Alan on guitar.
She is a singer and the current winner of The All Ireland Scór na nÓg Singing Contest.
The Rooneys are a family traditional group from County Down, ranging in age from fourteen to twenty-two years.
She is the most polished talent from Bláthnaid final 5, but Blathnaid feels her story will be accessible to loads of other working mums out there.
Advisor, Cormac Battle, couldn't believe that such a professional rap duo had walked into their audition room.
He began to teach himself how to play at the age of 13 and entered the show following his first public performance at his Leaving Certificate ceremony.
Jack Lynch, also known as B Boy Six, is a 6-year-old hip hop and freestyle dancer from County Waterford.
Toby Bedell is a 37-year-old sales supply manager from County Waterford, who had been made redundant prior to his audition.
He said losing his job had forced him to reassess his life and claimed he would not have entered the show if still employed.
[15] The electric fiddler Daithí Ó Dronaí won the first live final in week six, airing on 8 February 2009.
[15] Donna Marie Sludds from the East was selected as the judges' wildcard entry after beating the Dublin dance act Raw Edge Crew.
[15] In week seven, the Mullkerrins got first spot while Moneeka Murkurjee got the judges wild card over Niamh McGlinchey.
[16] Dublin twins Bert & Victor O' Brien progressed from week eight, broadcast on 22 February 2009.
Week eight's Wildcard entry was granted to operatic singer, Rachel Goode, whom Dana used her casting vote to send through instead of Murtagh.
Cliona Hagan, an opera singer representing the North, won week ten.
[18] Toby Bedell secured the Wildcard place after overcoming the father and daughter duo of Bernard and Eva Coyle.
Celebrities to publicly wish the finalists well included ICE presenter Rob Ross and RTÉ 2fm DJ Cormac Battle.
[20] Shane Lynch's fellow members of Boyzone were present to support his act Bert & Victor, aside from Ronan Keating who was abstaining due to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief.
[21] The Mulkerrin Brothers, mentored by Daithí Ó Sé of the West, won the series.
John Boland of the Irish Independent pointed out that judge Shane Lynch loved almost everything he saw and heard but suspected that the producers had "simply gone out into the street and rounded up the first 30 people they came across".
[22] Also DJ Jockey Joe Collins claimed that Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh's judging skills were very poor.