Christy Moore, Lemoncello, Róis and more among RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards Nominees

Nominees have officially been announced for RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, celebrating the very best in Irish folk music from the past year.

Leading the nominations this year are Roís, Alannah Thornburgh, Lemoncello, Macdara Yeates, Christy Moore, Sinéad McKenna, Cuas and Keane Connolly McGorman with two nominations each.

Other nominees include Niamh Bury, Cathy Jordan, John Spillane, Altan, Ríoghnach Connolly, Lankum and much more.

The awards ceremony, which will take place live in Vicar Street and on RTÉ Radio 1, will reward artists in seven categories including Best Original Folk Track, Best Traditional Folk Track, Best Folk Singer, Best Folk Instrumentalist, Best Folk Group and Best Emerging Artist.

RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards will also deliver a Lifetime Achievement Award to an artist will be announced in February, in advance of the awards.

Róise Rua, a renowned singer from Árainn Mhór, Dún na nGall, will be inducted into the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards Hall of Fame on the night.

Róise, who was also known as Róise na nAmhrán, passed on a rich heritage of folk music and preserved many songs that would otherwise have been lost, but have now travelled far beyond her home county.

Georgina Dudgeon, a relative of Róise Rua who has been involved in promoting and celebrating her great-grand-aunt’s legacy, will be among the guests of honour at Vicar Street, to accept the award on her behalf.

The awards event will include live performances from Junior Brother, Niamh Regan, Landless, John Spillane’s Folk Opera Fíoruisce, plus five-time Grammy award winner, Mary Chapin Carpenter and many more.

Tickets for the event are now on sale here from €33.50. A television highlights programme will be broadcast on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on March 1.

Find the full list of nominees below:

Best Original Folk Track
'Caoine' – Róis
'Chasing the Hare' – Alannah Thornburgh
'I’m for Gallipoli' – Fiach Moriarty (feat. Damien Dempsey)
'Old Friend' – Lemoncello
'The Good Life' – Joshua Burnside

Best Traditional Folk Track
'Bean an Fhir Ruaidh' – Diane Cannon
'Helen of Kirkconnell Lea' – The Half Room
'Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye' – Macdara Yeates
'The Rocky Road to Dublin' – Lankum
'Welcome Home, Gráinne' – Natalie Ní Chasaide & Iarfhlaith Ó Domhnaill

Best Folk Singer
Cathy Jordan
Christy Moore
Macdara Yeates
Ríoghnach Connolly

Best Folk Instrumentalist
Alannah Thornburgh
Diarmuid Ó Meachair
Macdara Ó Faoláin
Sinéad McKenna

Best Folk Group
Altan
Cuas
Keane Connolly McGorman
Landless

Best Folk Album
A Terrible Beauty – Christy Moore
Crankie Island Song Project – Cathy Jordan
Fíoruisce – The Legend of the Lough – John Spillane
Keane Connolly McGorman – Keane Connolly McGorman
Lemoncello – Lemoncello

Best Emerging Artist
Cuas
Niamh Bury
Róis
Seamas Hyland
Sinéad McKenna