Joanne Gallagher, Liam Foody, Chris Cresham and The Murphy Sisters have been picked out as Midwest Radio's local finalists in the A New Local Hero national talent search - a key part of Irish Music Month which is set to kick off on 22 stations across Ireland on September 14.

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 Midwest Radio's shortlisted artists...

Joanne Gallagher

Hailing from Killala, Co. Mayo, 20-year-old singer-songwriter Joanne Gallagher is making her mark with a fresh blend of pop and folk-pop. Joanne has already released eight original songs and won the national Today FM Big Busk competition in 2025. Earlier this year, she wrote an original song for Mayo and performed it at the county’s homecoming,  another milestone in what promises to be an exciting musical journey.

Joanne Gallagher

Liam Foody

Liam Foody is a singer songwriter from Mayo, Ireland. His music combines honest songwriting, catchy melodies and a guitar driven indie sound. A BIMM Dublin songwriting graduate, Liam developed his sound while performing across Dublin in venues including Whelan’s and The Workman’s Club.

Since releasing his debut single 'Take Your Hand', Liam has continued to build momentum with releases including 'Waiting For You' and 'This Life'.

Liam Foody

Chris Cresham

Chris Cresham builds his songs around strong storytelling. The Mayo singer-songwriter has spent recent months between Berlin and London writing and recording with some of the industry’s best talent.

Named Wildcard Award Winner at the Hot Press Irish Music Month National Final 2024 and a recent placement on Spotify UK’s Common Thread playlist alongside Noah Kahan, Kingfishr and Dermot Kennedy, his reach continues to grow. Live, he has supported Allie Sherlock, Lyra and plays his first ever headline show at Whelan’s on October 9.

Chris Cresham

The Murphy Sisters

For Sarah Jane, Katie Alice and Rachel Rose Murphy, music has been woven through their lives from the very beginning. Hailing from the rugged landscapes of Co Mayo, The Murphy Sisters have masterfully transitioned from traditional fireside sessions into a thrilling, contemporary acoustic powerhouse.

By seamlessly weaving sharp pop sensibilities and country storytelling into their traditional foundations, they create a sound that is both timeless and strikingly current.

The Murphy Sisters

• 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.