First Cut‘s Youth Music Video Competition is an annual project in partnership with Feel Good Lost offers four directors between the ages of 18 to 23 the opportunity to create a music video for an up and coming Irish act under the mentorship of established commercial music video directors.
This year’s filmmakers were selected by directors Brendan Canty, TJ O’Grady-Peyton and Lochlainn McKenna and then mentored in the production of their 5 music videos.
The chosen four are Elliot Ruddy, Daragh Goan, Ann Upton and Richard Harvey, who you can read more about biographically on First Cut. Their videos were put towards judges including industry representatives like Marina Brackenbury (the head of film and TV at Scott Free Films) and Brian Carmody (Founder of Smuggler Films).
And the final films are here:
Elliot Ruddy – CMAT – Another Day (KFC)
Daragh Goan – Pillow Queens – Ragin’
Ann Upton – Ye Vagabonds – I Courted a Wee Girl
Richard Harvey – ADT – Even the Sun Don’t Shine on Lonely Hearts in Shadow
Winner?
Congrats to Richard Harvey for his video for ADT – ‘Even the Sun Don’t Shine on Lonely Hearts in Shadow’, which the judges chose as their favourite. Congrats to all four directors for making all high-quality impactful work.

Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.