Gradaim NÓS 2025: KNEECAP, Clare Sands, RÓIS and more score nominations

The nominations for Gradaim NÓS 2025 have been revealed – with KNEECAP, Clare Sands, RÓIS, IMLÉ and more featuring in multiple categories.

The winners are set to be revealed at the awards ceremony on Friday, February 21, at the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast.

The NÓS Awards – returning in 2025 for the seventh time – are a major celebration of artists making music in the Irish language. This year, for the first time, the judges have announced separate categories for Band of the Year and Musician of the Year. In total, nine awards will be presented at the ceremony.

Clare Sands. Credit: Liadáin Ní Bhraonáín

Tickets for the ceremony will soon be made available here.

KNEECAP have scored a total of eight nominations this year – including four for Bilingual Song of the Year, one for Artwork of the Year, two for Video of the Year, and one for Band of the Year.

Tickets for the 2025 NÓS Awards at the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast will be available to be purchased soon from here.

See the full list of nominations below:

Amhrán na Bliana [Song of the Year]
Caochpholl – Súil Amháin + Bantum (le Ribé Róibéis)
Caoine – RÓIS
Cé a bheas thíos leis? – SÉiMí + Color Hermano
HEART – Amano + Kalabanx (le Liam Ó Maonlaí)
Peacach – IMLÉ
Sláinte – IMLÉ

Amhrán Dátheangach na Bliana [Bilingual Song of the Year]
Crónán na Sruthán – Clare Sands
Drug Dealin Pagans – KNEECAP
Fine Art – KNEECAP
Na Na – Torby
Sick in the Head – KNEECAP
Way Too Much – KNEECAP

Albam na Bliana (Nuacheol) [Album of the Year (New/Contemporary)]
Allt Vol. II: Cuimhne – Julie Fowlis, Eamon Doorley, Zoe Conway, John McIntyre
athPhORT – Súil Amháin + Bantum
Ceantar + Alltar – CAOIMHÍN
Fíoruisce: The Legend of the Lough – John Spillane
Gormacha – Clare Sands
THREAD – Amano + Kalabanx

Albam na Bliana (Amhráin Thraidisiúnta) [Album of the Year (Traditional)]
Airneán – Notify
Cá’il an Bheirt? – An Chéad Ghlúin Eile
Do Shamhlaigh Mé Tír Nua – Macdara Ó Faoláin
Donegal – Altan

Ealaín na Bliana [Artwork of the Year]
Allt Vol. II: Cuimhne – Julie Fowlis, Eamon Doorley, Zoe Conway, John McIntyre
athPhORT – Súil Amháin + Bantum
Cuan – Aoife Welby
Fine Art – KNEECAP
Gormacha – Clare Sands
Siúlóid – Deoraí

Físeán na Bliana [Video of the Year]
Caoine – RÓIS
Love Making – KNEECAP
Na Daoine Maithe – Seosamh Mac
Na Na – Torby
Sick in the Head – KNEECAP
Sláinte – IMLÉ

Nuatheachtaí na Bliana – Gradam Rónáin Mhic Aodha Bhuí [Newcomer of the Year]
James Shannon
Lullahush
Macdara Ó Faoláin
SÉiMí
Seosamh Mac
The Shan Vans

Ceoltóir Aonair na Bliana [Musician of the Year]
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin
Clare Sands
Diane Cannon
Piaras Ó Lorcáin
Róisín Seoighe
Súil Amháin

Banna na Bliana [Band of the Year]
An Chéad Ghlúin Eile
Colm Seoighe + na hEasógaí
Grooveline
Huartan
IMLÉ
KNEECAP