As we officially enter Irish Music Month 2024, Amhrán na Laoch – our major hunt for a brilliant original song, composed as Gaeilge or through a combination of both English and Irish – is heating up! Today, we're thrilled to reveal even more enticing details about the top prize...

One lucky winner will receive:

• €2,000 prize money
• Airplay support across 21 independent Irish radio stations
• Music industry mentoring and supporting
• An opportunity to perform live at the A New Local Hero National Finale
• And – we can now reveal – get their song released through the iconic Gael Linn record label...

You have until Wednesday, September 18, to submit your entry – which you can do through the form at the end of this page.

The rules stipulate that at least 50% of the song must be in Irish – but don’t forget that what the judges will really want to see in your work is the brilliant use of the Irish language.

Speaking of which... We're also delighted to announce that the Amhrán na Laoch judging panel will include legendary Co. Donegal fiddler and singer Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Fiachna Ó Braonáin of Hothouse Flowers.

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh

Mairéad is renowned for her work with Altan, and as a broadcaster. Over the course of a remarkable career, the hugely influential band have collaborated with the likes of Dolly Parton, Enya, The Chieftains and Bonnie Raitt, to name just a few, and, in 2006, were honoured with their own stamp by An Post. Mairéad – who's also a member of the supergroups String Sisters and T with the Maggies – released her debut solo album, Imeall, in 2009.

Fiachna first came to prominence as a member of The Benzini Brothers, who morphed to become Hothouse Flowers – one of the finest Irish bands of he modern era. They released their debut album People in 1988, delivering seven studio albums in all. Home, released in 1990 was a No.1 in Ireland and Australia, where it went platinum. 'Don't Go', from People, was a global hit, following the band's guest interval appearance on Eurovision that year. Fiachna has also had a varied and successful solo career, releasing the album Bougainvillea in 2020, as well as working with Michelle Shocked and the band PreNup. He has recently left RTÉ Radio One, where he has enjoyed an acclaimed stint as a broadcaster and DJ.

Hothouse Flowers at Vicar Street/copyright Patrik Meier/hotpress.com

Launched in 2021, Irish Music Month is an initiative of Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, and is funded by Coimisiún na Meán. Participating IBI stations will feature Irish music strongly throughout the month, and significantly increase the number of plays for Irish artists.

All-in, the value of the Irish Music Month project for Irish artists is in excess of €100,000.

"It is really great to have Gael Linn on board for Amhrán na Laoch,” says Hot Press editor Niall Stokes. “They have been at the forefront of the campaign to popularise the use of the Irish language for decades – and it is inspiring to see that work bearing such positive fruit in the arts now, and in particular in music and film. And of course, Gael Linn has also been home to some of Ireland’s finest musicians – and has the back catalogue to prove it. Their knowledge and expertise will be invaluable in ensuring that the winning song is heard by as many people as possible."

Founded in 1953, Gael Linn is a national organisation who aim to foster and promote the Irish language and its heritage as a living language, and as an expression of identity. Since the '50s, the organisation's record label has released music by some of the iconic and innovative forces in Irish music.

"Gael Linn is delighted to team up with Hot Press," comments Réamonn Ó Ciaráin, CEO of Gael Linn. "We hope to bring an extra dimension to the Amhrán na Laoch competition by working with the winner to ensure their award-winning song is available across the globe on the major digital platforms on a music label with seventy years of experience in the field, Gael Linn.

"Many seasoned groups emerged from Gael Linn competitions over the years such as Clannad and Hothouse Flowers from the heady years of Slógadh," he continues. "More recently Siansa and Scléip have provided a springboard for groups into the professional world of music. Joining with Hot Press on the Amhrán na Laoch competition is a welcome extension of this side of our language revitalisation work. Our record label has been the go-to place for artists performing in Irish and this exciting partnership with Hot Press provides us with a new way of offering support to emerging songwriters and performers who choose the Irish language as their medium. Maybe this is a case of the medium being the message or no small part of it in any event as those composing and performing in Irish are required to make deeply meaningful linguistic decisions along the way about their art.

"Competitions are a great way to hone the composition process and focus on a discerning audience who want to be taken on a journey but who will only embark on that journey once confidence is earned when technical skill meets inspired creativity. Best of luck to all entrants. The winner could very well be reading these words right now."

Niall de Stóc ó Hot Press:

"Táimid ana sásta go bhfuil Gael Linn ag obair linn ar Amhrán na Laoch. Tá siad chun tosaigh san fheachtas chun daoine a chur ag úsáid agus ag labhairt na Gaeilge le deicheanna de bhlianta – agus is spreagadh croí é go bhfuil torthaí dearfacha ar an obair sin sna healaíona anois, agus go háirithe i gcúrsaí ceoil agus scannáin. Tá eolas againn go léir go bhfuil Gael Linn mar thearmann do chuid de na ceoltóirí is fearr in Éirinn – agus tá an chatalóg ceirníní acu chun é sin a chruthú. Beidh an taithí agus an saineolas atá acu luachmhar lena chinntiú go mbeidh an t-amhrán buaiteach cloiste ag daoine ar fud an domhain."

Réamonn Ó Ciaráin, Príomhfheidhmeannach Gael Linn:

"Tá an-áthas ar Gael Linn dul i gcomhpháirt le Hot Press. Tá súil againn gné bhreise a thabhairt don chomórtas Amhrán na Laoch. Beimid ag obair le buaiteoir an chomórtais lena chinntiú go mbeidh a n-amhrán buach ar fáil ar fud na cruinne ar na hardáin mhóra dhigiteacha ar lipéad ceoil a bhfuil seachtó bliain taithí aige, Gael Linn.

"D'eascair go leor grúpaí séasúrtha as comórtais Gael Linn thar na blianta ar nós Clannad agus Hothouse Flowers ó bhlianta cinniúnacha Slógadh. Le blianta beaga anuas tá Siansa agus Scléip tar éis lingchlár a chur ar fáil do ghrúpaí isteach go saol gairmiúil an cheoil. Ba é lipéad Gael Linn an chéad stop a bhí ag a lán ealaíontóirí a bhí ag casadh trí mheán na Gaeilge agus cuireann an chomhpháirtíocht spreagúil seo le Hot Press bealach nua ar fáil dúinn chun tacú le scríbhneoirí amhrán agus oirfidigh atá ag teacht chun cinn agus a roghnaíonn an Ghaeilge mar mheán. B'fhéidir gur cás é seo nuair is é an meán an teachtaireacht nó cuid mhór di ar aon nós mar bíonn ar oirfidigh a bhíonn ag cumadh agus ag léiriú i nGaeilge cinntí bunúsacha faoina gcuid ealaíne a dhéanamh ar a mbealach. Cuireann an chomhpháirtíocht seo le Hot Press ar chomórtas Amhrán na Laoch go mór le saothar athneartaithe teanga Gael Linn.

"Is bealach iontach iad na comórtais chun an próiseas cumadóireachta a chur chun cinn agus iomaitheoirí ag díriú ar lucht éisteachta a thuigeann go mbíonn an pobal ag iarraidh dul ar thuras ach nach dtabharfaidh faoin turas sin ach amháin nuair a thuilltear muinín nuair a bhuaileann scil theicniúil le cruthaitheacht inspioráideach. Go n-éirí an t-ádh le gach iontrálaí. D'fhéadfadh an buaiteoir a bheith ag léamh na bhfocal seo anois."