Ye Vagabonds, Susan O’Neill & Cormac Begley win at RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards

The winners of the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards were announced last night at a ceremony and live show in Vicar Street which was also broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 and Hosted by RTÉ’s John Creedon.

The awards highlights the best in folk music in Ireland from the past year.

Ye Vagabonds won the Best Folk Album award for Nine Waves, Susan O’Neill was awarded Best Original Folk Track for ‘Now You See It’, while concertina player Cormac Begley won the Best Folk Instrumentalist Award.

RTÉ Folk On One presenter Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh won Best Traditional Folk Track with her take on Róisín Dubh, performed in collaboration the Irish Chamber Orchestra and Nic Amhlaoibh was also named Best Folk Singer. Elsewhere, the olllam awarded Best Folk Group and Best Emerging Artist prize went to young Donegal multi-instrumentalist Cathal Ó Curráin.

Mary Black was a popular winner of the Lifetime Achievement award, while Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains was posthumously added to the Folk Awards’ Hall Of Fame.

The night featured live performances from Sharon Shannon, Scullion, Pauline Scanlon, Inni-K, Mary Black, Dani Larkin, Anna Mieke, Myles O’Reilly and Ronan O’Snodaigh, members of The Chieftains and Eliza & Martin Carthy.

Photos: Allen Kiely

A television highlights programme will be broadcast on RTÉ One on Saturday 19th November at 10.25pm.

RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards – the winners

Best Original Folk Track

Now You See It – Susan O’Neill

Best Traditional Folk Track

Róisín Dubh – Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh & the Irish Chamber Orchestra

Best Folk Singer

Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh

Best Folk Instrumentalist

Cormac Begley

Best Folk Group

the olllam

Best Folk Album

Nine Waves – Ye Vagabonds

Best Emerging Artist

Cathal Ó Curráin

Hall of Fame

Paddy Moloney

Lifetime Achievement

Mary Black

Niall Byrne

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.

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