Groev, Rachel Connelly, Johnluke and Amy McCarthy have been picked out as Galway Bay FM's local finalists in the A New Local Hero national talent search - a key part of Irish Music Month which is taking place on 22 stations across Ireland.

As one of the central features of Irish Music Month, A New Local Hero is a major call to arms for Irish musicians and bands – with all 22 participating radio stations having reached out for submissions in recent months. The excitement is rising, with a slew of announcements arriving over the next few days. Each of the acts selected by the stations will perform and be interviewed on their local station, with one act from each station going forward onto the long-list of contenders for the national A New Local Hero award.

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. Irish Music Month is also supported by IMRO, RAAP and Live Nation, along with Ticketmaster, Rubyworks, Camden Recording Studios and Spéir Mix and Master.

The stations participating in Irish Music Month are: Clare FM, Classic Hits, Cork's 96FM, East Coast FM, FM104, Galway Bay FM, Highland Radio, KCLR, KFM, Limerick Live 95FM, LMFM, Midlands 103, Midwest Radio, Northern Sound, Ocean FM, Radio Kerry, Radio Nova, Shannonside FM, South East Radio, Sunshine FM, Tipp FM, and WLR FM.

What Irish Music Month means, across participating independent stations, is:

– More Irish music song plays

– More Irish music artist mentions

– More Irish music features

– More Irish artist gig pushes

– More Irish artist interviews

And – what's more – we'll be putting over €100,000 into the hands of music makers and their crews across the country too.

Without further ado, let's meet Galway Bay FM's shortlisted artists..

Groev

Groev

Rachel Connelly

Rachel Connelly is a 24 year old musician from Galway. Her song ‘Let Down Again’ was written and produced by herself, her brother & her friend, all hailing from Galway, and recording the song in their sitting room. She has been writing & performing across the county for years, honing her craft & passion for music & performing.

Rachel Connelly

Johnluke

Since his debut single released in March 2024, Johnluke has been crafting a musical signature, blending pop, folk and country, paired with his natural passion for storytelling. Johnluke has been performing at iconic venues and festivals across the country, playing support shows for Jamie McIntyre, Paddy Casey & Simple Things, as well as releasing his debut EP Comical Romance Vol.1 back in 2025.

Johnluke

Amy McCarthy

Amy McCarthy is an independent artist hailing from Gort, Co. Galway. Rather than getting boxed into a single genre, Amy lets the narrative of each song shape the sound, establishing herself as a rising force in the Irish music scene. Having recently launched her first sold-out originals headline show at Gort Town Hall Theatre, Amy’s latest work highlights her evolving versatility, as she expands into a heartfelt, acoustic-orchestral space

Amy McCarthy

• Keep an eye on hotpress.com and listen to your local participating station for more news on Irish Music Month, A New Local Hero and the Irish song competition, Amhrán na Laoch.