Over 400 venues across Ireland qualify for the awards and these include pubs, hotels, arts centres, theatres, purpose built music venues and many more. Solo artist and multi instrumentalist Julie Feeney and lead singer of The Coronas, Danny O'Reilly, joined with IMRO Chairman Keith Donald and IMRO CEO Victor Finn to launch the awards, at IMRO headquarters in Copyright House, Dublin today.

The awards will acknowledge the central role that live music venues play in developing and supporting the music community in Ireland. Live music venues provide quality entertainment to the public and provide a platform for Irish artists across all genres of music. Last year's National Live Music Venue of the Year was awarded to the Vicar Street venue in Dublin - who also scooped the Hot Press Readers' Award.

Over 6,000 members of IMRO are currently nominating their top three Irish venues through an on-line poll on the IMRO website. The venues with the most nominations in each region will be short-listed for an IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Award. Venues are being judged on a number of criteria including venue ambience, staging, sound and lighting facilities, diversity of programming, venue staff and management and promotional activities of the venue.

Along with one overall award for National Live Music Venue of the Year, awards will be presented to the leading live music venues in the following regions: Dublin, Leinster (excluding Dublin) Connaught, Munster and Ulster (covering Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan).

There will also be a special Hot Press Readers Award for Best Venue, as voted by Hot Press magazine readers. This will give music fans the opportunity to support their favourite live music venues across Ireland. To nominate YOUR favourite venues for the shortlist just go here
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The Full 2008 Results:
Dublin venue Vicar Street topped the Awards, scooping three gongs: Best National Live Music Venue of the Year and Best Dublin Live Music Venue of the Year.

They also took the Hot Press Award for Best Live Music Venue in Ireland, as voted by the gig going public. Vicar Street's Bren Berry accepted the awards on behalf of the Vicar Street team.
Speaking about the venue, Keith Donald (IMRO) said: "When Harry Crosbie and Peter Aiken
showed me around the building site that was to become Vicar Street, taking justifiable pride in the facilities for both artistes and audience alike, I knew they were on to a winner"

The IMRO Rest of Leinster Live Music Venue of the Year Award went to The Spirit Store in Dundalk. The IMRO Ulster Live Music Venue of the Year was presented to The Chasin' Bull in Donegal, while the Roisin Dubh in Galway scooped the IMRO Connaught Live Music Venue of the Year.

A delighted team from Cyprus Avenue in Cork took home two prizes - Munster Live Music Venue of the Year and a Hot Press Readers Highly Commended Award. The Stables in Mullingar also received a Highly Commended accolade from readers of Hot Press.