Lankum, We Banjo 3 and more among RTÉ Award winners

Last night at a sold out Dublin’s Vicar St. and broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1 the inaugural RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards took place awarding folk legend Andy Irvine with the Lifetime Achievement award.

While not there on the night, a video sent by Ed Sheeran defined Andy Irvine as “a strong defining pillar of folk music in the world... he’s influenced me and countless musicians around the world and it couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke”.

Friend Paul Brady recalled the first time he heard Andy play and perform saying “I was hearing music that I really wanted to be involved with... you brought a wealth of fresh perspective to how we look at our own music”.

Tom Munnelly and John Reilly were inducted into the Hall of Fame; presented by Christy Moore to Annette Munnelly and received by Trish Nolan and Catherine Joyce of the Irish Travellers Movement on behalf of John Reilly.

With four nominations across the night, Lankum and Radie Peat took home Best Folk Group and Best Folk Singer; Martin Hayes won the Best Folk Instrumentalist category presented by RTÉ Radio 1’s Philip King while Declan O’Rourke was awarded the Best Original Folk Track for Along the Western Seaboard.

In an interview with Hot Press earlier this week, Lankum spoke about how the event itself serves to demonstrate the Indian summer folk music is currently enjoying at the moment in Ireland.

“You look at that list (of nominees for the awards) and there’s so many great artists on it,” said Daragh Lynch of the band. “But for every person that’s nominated, there’s another one who wasn’t, who maybe hasn’t released yet or gotten the attention they deserve – but they’re going to sessions around Dublin and they’re incredible artists.”

Listeners to RTÉ Radio 1 voted in their thousands for Best Folk Album which saw We Banjo 3’s Haven win the category. Performing on the night was Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Muireann took home the award for Best Traditional Folk Track for Bean Dubh A’ Ghleanna. Celebrating the huge contribution Irish artists have made to folk music, Maria Doyle Kennedy presented the award for Best Emerging Folk Artist to Emma Langford.

Speaking on the night, Group Head of RTÉ Arts and Culture Ann Marie Power said: “The RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards 2018 is a celebration of the contemporary folk scene in Ireland which encompasses new music, fresh versions of much loved songs and an appreciation of the contribution folk music has made to this country. This evening we salute the great folk musicians who are held in global acclaim for their work and artistry. A huge congratulations to all the nominees and to those who have won here tonight and we hope that everyone enjoyed the performances”.