RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards
Awarded forBest in Irish folk music
CountryIreland
Presented byRTÉ Radio 1
First awarded2018 (2018)
Websiterte.ie/folkawards
Television/radio coverage
NetworkRTÉ

The RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards are annual awards presented by RTÉ Radio 1 to celebrate the best in Irish folk music. The awards were established in 2018 and include recipients such as Martin Hayes, Emma Langford, Declan O'Rourke, Moya Brennan, Andy Irvine, Saint Sister, Steve Cooney, Lisa O'Neill and Lankum.[1]

History

On 1 May 2018 at a launch in Vicar Street, Dublin, RTÉ Radio 1 announced that it would host the inaugural RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards at Vicar Street on 25 October of that year, with the event being broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1 on the night. The RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards were to be the first dedicated folk awards held in Ireland, with nine awards categories showcasing and honouring the richness and diversity of folk music talent in Ireland.[1] This would be held in addition to TG4's annual Gradam Ceoil awards, the premier award event in traditional Irish music.

RTÉ Radio 1 later put out a call for designers and craftspeople to design and produce the trophies for the winners at the inaugural RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards. The competition invited candidates to create a series of nine commissions, one for each of the awards categories. The purpose of this competition was to promote and highlight the talent and skills of the craft and design sector, and to build a collection of unique awards that reflect the diversity of Ireland's rich talent and heritage through folk music, craft and design. The winner of the commission was invited to discuss their work as part of RTÉ Radio 1's Arena programme. Three candidates were shortlisted based on their work and a statement describing how they would incorporate the heritage of Irish folk music into their design.[2]

The inaugural awards ceremony was hosted in front of a live audience at a packed-out Vicar Street. The visual theme for the awards ceremony was Harvest, inspired by folk heritage, nostalgia and an autumnal palette.[2] The ceremony included performances by artists such as Andy Irvine, Lankum and Saint Sister. In addition to the Vicar Street event, RTÉ Radio 1 produced a five-part feature series on folk music with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, which were broadcast in the run up to the awards night.[1]

The Folk Awards has been hosted every year by RTÉ presenters John Creedon and Ruth Smith, and is broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1 or can be streamed on the RTÉ Radio Player. While the awards ceremony is not broadcast live on television, the entire show is filmed and the highlights can be streamed on YouTube or RTÉ Player.[3] In 2019, highlights from the awards ceremony were televised for the first time, broadcast at a later date on RTÉ One.[4] In 2020, the prizes were announced at a special live event from RTÉ Radio studios, Dublin due to the COVID-19 pandemic and included a special video message from President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins.[5]

Selection

The nominees shortlist is announced annually in September and is selected by a judging panel of 40 people, among them musicians, promoters, broadcasters, journalists, bloggers and venue owners.[1] The Best Folk Album award is chosen by RTÉ Radio 1 listeners through The John Creedon Show and Simply Folk with Ruth Smith.[6]

Hall of Fame

A posthumous 'Hall of Fame' award is presented annually to celebrate past legends of the Irish folk world.[1]

Inductees

Award winners

2021

  • Best Folk Singer: John Francis Flynn
  • Best Folk Instrumentalist: Caoimhín Ó Fearghail
  • Best Folk Group: Ye Vagabonds
  • Best Emerging Artist: John Francis Flynn
  • Best Folk Album: Solas an Lae – Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Ultan O'Brien
  • Best Original Folk Track: Chain Reaction – Mick Flannery & Susan O'Neill
  • Best Traditional Folk Track: I'm a Rover – Ye Vagabonds
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Christy Moore
  • Hall of Fame: Sarah Makem

Hosts: John Creedon and Ruth Smith
Venue: Vicar Street, Dublin[7]

2020

  • Best Folk Singer: Radie Peat
  • Best Folk Instrumentalist: Steve Cooney
  • Best Folk Group: Lankum
  • Best Emerging Folk Act: Not awarded
  • Best Folk Album: Ceol Ársa Cláirsí: Tunes of the Irish Harpers for Solo Guitar – Steve Cooney
  • Best Original Folk Track: Baby Talk – Mick Flannery & SON
  • Best Traditional Folk Track: Eleanor Plunkett – Steve Cooney
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Steve Cooney
  • Hall of Fame: Frank Harte

Hosts: John Creedon and Ruth Smith
Venue: RTÉ Radio studios, Dublin[5]

2019

Hosts: John Creedon and Ruth Smith
Venue: Vicar Street, Dublin[8]

2018

Hosts: John Creedon and Ruth Smith
Venue: Vicar Street, Dublin[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Creedon & Smith to host RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards". RTÉ. Dublin. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Design the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards trophy". RTÉ. Dublin. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "Watch: Highlights from the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards". RTÉ. Dublin. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  4. ↑ "THE WINNERS AT THIS YEAR'S RTÉ RADIO 1 FOLK AWARDS". Folk Radio UK. Somerset. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  5. 1 2 "RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards winners announced". RTÉ. Dublin. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  6. ↑ "Vote for the Best Folk Album of the Year". RTÉ. Dublin. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  7. ↑ "RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards WINNERS Announced – About RTÉ".
  8. ↑ "Ye Vagabonds win big at the Irish Folk Awards". RTÉ. Dublin. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "Winners of the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards revealed". RTÉ. Dublin. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
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