Music

RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards: Lankum and Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin big winners

Sixth annual awards recognise best of folk music in Ireland from the past year

RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards

Daragh Lynch from Lankum with musician Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards. Lynch accepted Lankum's two awards. Photograph: Tony Kinlan

Wed Feb 28 2024 - 09:11

Lankum and Dublin-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin were among this year’s winners at RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards.

The awards, which celebrate the best of folk music in Ireland from the past year, were held in Vicar Street on Tuesday night.

The sixth annual event, hosted by John Creedon, featured live performances from Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Niamh Bury, Bláth na hÓige, Johnny McEvoy and more.

Ó Ceannabháin won best original folk track and best folk singer.

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[ Review: Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin: The Deepest Breath - Seismic collection in sean nós tradition ]

Irish contemporary folk band Lankum, comprised of Ian Lynch, Daragh Lynch, Radie Peat and Cormac MacDiarmada, took the prize for best folk group. They also won the best folk album award for their fourth album, False Lankum. The group missed out on the 2023 Mercury music prize for the same record in September.

Uileann piper, singer and collector Séamus Ennis was inducted into the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards Hall of Fame with his son, Christopher Ennis, accepting the award on his behalf.

Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, one of Ireland’s leading interpreters of folk and traditional music, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

“I am delighted and honoured to accept this award for my life in music. It is lovely and heartwarming to be acknowledged in such a way, and I am very grateful for this special recognition of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards,” Ní Dhomhnaill said.

Highlights of the Folk Awards will air on RTÉ One at 11pm on Saturday, March 2nd

Full list of nominees and winners

Best original folk track
  • Abigail (Tomhas Ghobnatan) – Emma Langford
  • Winner: Anáil na hOíche – Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin
  • Glory Days – Steo Wall
  • Níl Aon Easpa Orm – Rónán Ó Snodaigh and Myles O’Reilly
  • Not Your Fight – The Henry Girls and Ríoghnach Connolly
  • Old Note – Lisa O’Neill
Best traditional folk track
  • Amhrán Pheadar Breathnach – Diane Cannon
  • Eileanóir a Rún – Síle Denvir
  • Eileanór na Rún – Séamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta
  • Go Dig My Grave – Lankum
  • Winner: Seán Gabha – Piaras Ó Lorcáin and Bláth na hÓige
Best folk singer
  • Anna Mieke
  • Daoirí Farrell
  • Diane Cannon
  • Winner: Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin
  • Lisa O’Neill
  • Síle Denvir
Best folk instrumentalist
  • Winner: Aoife Ní Bhriain
  • Diarmuid Ó Meachair
  • Michael McGoldrick
  • Michelle Mulcahy
  • Sorcha Costello
Best folk group
  • Bláth na hÓige
  • Garadice
  • Winner: Lankum
  • Martin Hayes and the Common Ground Ensemble
  • The Mary Wallopers
  • ØXN
Best folk album
  • All Of This Is Chance – Lisa O’Neill
  • Bláth na hÓige – Bláth na hÓige
  • Double You – Aoife Ní Bhriain and Catrin Finch
  • Winner: False Lankum – Lankum
  • Look Over The Wall, See The Sky – John Francis Flynn
Best emerging artist
  • Cinder Well
  • Diarmuid Ó Meachair
  • Niamh Bury
  • Piaras Ó Lorcáin
  • Winner: Séamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta
  • Sorcha Costello
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