19 May – Culture is a heritage for the people of our country, a mirror of times passed by

Do you remember the old days? When the contest was all done and dusted in one night, and none of these new Europeans were able to do their thing? Well 1992 was probably the last ‘old’ contest as we know it.

In 1992, the show came from an ice stadium in the Copenhagen suburb of Malmö. It was the biggest field ever at the time and we all know that Ireland won. Today’s birthday girl Merethe Trøan was representing neighbours Norway. You remember – one commentator rudely referred to her as a plump chicken from Trondheim. One of those bits at least is true. Anyway, her stage act was unique, and at one point her and her pals looked like they were in a lift/elevator. Her finishing position of 18th may seem bad, but two Nordic nations still finished below her – one was the hosts (guffaw, guffaw). And she scored from more countries than some nations who beat her. But who cares, you can tell she was enjoying herself.

Merethe is 54 today.

Gratulerer med dagen, Merethe!