Celebrating the best of the nation's rising talent, A New Local Hero is back for a massively anticipated second year – with Highland Radio Donegal having just announced their four finalists.

As one of the most memorable features of Irish Music Month, A New Local Hero acts as an uplifting call to arms for Irish musicians and bands – with all 25 participating radio stations having called out for submissions as part of the talent search.

Let's meet Highland Radio Donegal's shortlist...

Charles James & The Rise:

Influenced by the sounds of early Americana, roots and their home county of Donegal, the folk duo released their Long Way From Here EP back in late 2019. They’re set to make their highly anticipated return this month, with a brand new single, ‘The Elephants’.

Oisin Nee:

Hailing from Donegal, this singer-songwriter is primed for a major breakthrough on the international stage, following the release of his debut single, ‘Happy Place’, back in 2021 – which was produced and co-written by the multi-award-winning Kuya.

Oisin Nee.

Boy M5:

A graduate of Ballyfermot’s Rock School, the hotly tipped artist has already shared stages with the likes of Dermot Kennedy and Orla Gartland. Recent years have seen him showcase his skills on singles ‘Mountains’ and ‘Roar By The Shore’.

Boy M5.

The Midnight Preachers:

Embracing a sound rooted in blues-infused rock ‘n’ roll, this band have been captivating audiences at festivals and venues across the country since 2017. Following their 2020 EP, Desert Hymns, they’re now gearing up for their upcoming debut album.

Each of the selected artists at this stage in the campaign will get a chance to play live on their station, and all of those artists – thanks to the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, under its Sound & Vision scheme – will be paid for their performance.

From there, the four finalists representing the station will be whittled down to one ‘Local Hero’ from each  – a major honour in itself, which will serve as a huge milestone in the careers of the selected 25 artists.

All of this leads to the national stage of the journey. From the 25 artists selected locally, an industry judging panel will choose just five acts to go forward to play at a special showcase event in Dublin.

The A New Local Hero campaign will ultimately see over  €100,000 paid directly to Irish artists – and one worthy winning act selected, who will get to record a single at the prestigious Camden Recording Studios in Dublin, and release the single on the famed Irish independent record label Rubyworks.

As announced by Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI), Irish Music Month will run from Monday, March 12, to Friday, April 13 – and will see significantly increased radio play for Irish music across 25 independent radio stations.

Irish Music Month is supported by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, under its Sound & Vision scheme.

The event is also supported by IMRO, RAAP, MCD Productions, Live Nation, Ticketmaster, Camden Recording Studios and the Rubyworks label.

Read more about Irish Music Month here.