The nationwide search for A New Local Hero has suddenly intensified greatly, with South African Wicklow native Niamh Beatrix being announced as East Coast FM's own Local Hero! Niamh Beatrix is among the first names to go forward onto the final long-list, which will include representatives from each of the participating stations. All 20+ of the Local Heroes will be revealed in a series of coming announcements. Watch this space for regular news updates!

Introducing Niamh Beatrix

15 year-old South African-Irish singer-songwriter Niamh Beatrix Smith is an emerging young artist who lives in Roundwood, Co Wicklow. At 14, Niamh was selected to sing the South African national anthem alongside the Irish Army Band at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, performing in front of more than 40,000 people at the Ireland Vs South Africa international. She was also a Top 3 finalist in Junior Eurovision Ireland. Though she is still at the beginning of her musical story, it has already taken her from writing songs under experienced mentorship to stepping onto some remarkable stages.

Niamh released her first original song, 'Irish Lad' at just 12 years old, receiving high praise for the release and marking the beginning of her journey. Since then, she has performed at the 2026 BCMA Showcase, broken into the HotDisc UK Top 10 and began working with acclaimed Irish musician and producer Cian Boylan at Camden Recording Studios in Dublin, where she continues to develop her own sound. Behind the milestones is a young songwriter who is drawn to the things that are harder to put into words: growing up, love, loss, belonging and the small moments that can mean far more than they appear to. There is a tenderness to the way Niamh writes, alongside a voice that is becoming increasingly her own.

A New Local Hero: The Facts

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. Now with, over 80 artists having performed and been interviewed on local radio, one act from each station is nominated for 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.

And – what's more – we'll be putting over €100,000 into the hands of music makers and their crews across the country too.

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 interview

• 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.