Following a phenomenal talent search, featuring a genre-blending selection of acts from right across the country, voting is now open for the A New Local Hero Wildcard Award. The Wildcard winner will be awarded a €2,500 bursary. You can cast your vote through the form at the bottom of this page.

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.

Out of the hugely talented 21 regional finalists, six will be chosen to perform at the live finale showcase event at The Academy in Dublin on October 28.

However, there is still a major opportunity open to the 15 artists who might not make the final six: this year's edition of A New Local Hero also includes a special element – with all of the regional finalists still in with a chance to be crowned the winner of the Wildcard Award, voted by the public.

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.

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.