RTÉ have announced that the 7th RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards will take place in Vicar Street in Dublin on Wednesday 26 February 2025.

Seven awards will be made by a Folk Awards jury, including Best Original Folk Track, Best Traditional Folk Track, Best Folk Singer, Best Emerging Folk Artist, Best Folk Instrumentalist, Best Folk Group and Best Folk Album.

The qualifying period for releases runs from Monday 13 November 2023 to Sunday 17 November 2024. Musicians, labels, promoters and members of the public are invited to email submissions to folkawards [at] rte.ie.

There will also be two awards made by the Folk Awards Steering Committee: the Hall of Fame Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The 2025 awards will be presented by John Creedon and broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1 and on the RTÉ radio app. A highlights programme will be broadcast at a later date on RTÉ television.

Commenting on the awards, Peter Woods, Head of RTÉ Radio 1, said:

The RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards are an important part of what we do to support and celebrate the very best in Irish folk and traditional music and performance. This country continues to produce some of the very best musicians and music in the folk genre which we are delighted to showcase in these awards, while also celebrating the positive impact of those who came before. We look forward to another great live event in Vicar Street in February and to celebrating the very best in Irish folk music over the past year.

Last year’s winners included Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin (Best Folk Singer and Best Original Folk Track for ‘Anáil na hOíche’), Piaras Ó Lorcáin and Bláth na hÓige (Best Traditional Folk Track for ‘Seán Gabha’), Aoife Ní Bhriain (Best Folk Instrumentalist), Lankum (Best Folk Group and Best Folk Album for False Lankum), and Séamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta (Best Emerging Artist). The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, and Séamus Ennis was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Tickets for the 2025 awards will be on sale later this year.

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