Keith Grace, Karol Sadlier, Ceola and Carron have been picked out as Sunshine 106.8's local finalists in the A New Local Hero national talent search - a key part of Irish Music Month which is taking place on 22 stations across Ireland.

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 Sunshine 106.8's shortlisted artists...

Keith Grace

Keith Grace is a Dublin-born songwriter, guitarist and creative, coming from a family where music and creativity run deep. Inspired and encouraged by both his father, Robert Grace, and his mother, Noeleen, Keith was supported from an early age to pursue his passion for music and embrace the freedom and experiences that come with it.

He has continued to perform live, including appearances alongside his son Conor on drums at The Lighthouse in Dún Laoghaire and Buck Mulligan’s as part of the Dún Laoghaire Festival. Continuing to create independently, Keith recorded and produced new material in 2025 and 2026, accompanied by independently creating music videos for his tracks 'Waves' and 'Irish Goodbye'.

Keith Grace

Karol Sadlier

Karol Sadleir is a Dublin-based musician, emerging songwriter, educator and author who brings a lifelong passion for language, storytelling, and music to her craft. With a professional background deeply rooted in English literature and pastoral care, Karol has spent years exploring the emotional depth of the written word.

Her transition into songwriting is a natural evolution of her love for creative expression. Her work focuses on evocative, narrative-driven lyrics that capture the subtleties of human connection, resilience, and the shared journeys that define us.

Karol Sadler

Ceola

Ceola Dunne is a 14-year-old actor, singer, musician, and dancer from Co Meath. As well as performing she enjoys hobbies such as Gaelic Football, Basketball and Tennis. Ceola is currently reprising the role of Josephine in the next series of Wednesday for Netflix.

The young artist also played the role of Catherine Rose for Showkids for RTÉ, directed by Hugh O’Connor, and the lead role of Nell in Toy Show: The Musical, also for RTÉ.  She started writing songs two years ago, with a voice sharpened by her theatre experience and long lineage of musical and acting talent.

Ceola

Carron

Sisters and multi-instrumentalists Méabh and Mella Carron formed their namesake band in 2015 as a healing project during a period of illness. Joined by guitarist, violinist and co-writer Darragh McGrath, the trio have built their music around the idea of writing to heal, exploring themes of nature, recovery, love, tension and family.

Blending Celtic influences with contemporary pop, their sound is driven by close vocal harmonies, organic instrumentation and an instinct for atmospheric, emotionally charged songwriting. Their music has drawn comparisons to Florence + the Machine, Fleetwood Mac and First Aid Kit.

Carron

• 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.