Winners of the A New Local Hero have been announced.
The nationwide talent search led by HotPress with the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, supported by Coimisiún na Meán, saw heats held by radio stations across the country, with south Kilkenny rising star Patrick Dowling put forward by KCLR listeners.
Last night saw the grand finale, the key point of Irish Music Month, take place in The Academy in Dublin where special guest Dave Lofts was on the bill alongside the six finalists of Groev (Galway Bay FM), Rebecca Lane (FM104), RunTheRed (LMFM), Sitting Room (KFM), WineMom (Radio Nova) and Shimmer Boy (Cork96fm).
The latter, the music project of west Cork indie-folk artist and songwriter Aaron O’Sullivan, was declared the victor getting €5,000 in prize money, the opportunity to record a single at Camden Recording Studios in Dublin, with renowned producer Cian Boylan; have it mixed and mastered by the Grammy Award-winning Ruadhri Cushnan of Spéir Mix & Master; and release it through Rubyworks – the record label that discovered Hozier.
Shimmer Boy has clocked up support slots, including for Kilkenny’s Robert Grace, as well as a sync placement in Made in Chelsea.
“What a night! The quality of the artists selected as Local Heroes, across all 21 participating radio stations, this year, was really incredible,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said. “That made it very tough for the judges – in the first instance settling on the shortlist of six, and then deciding on a winner tonight.
“To make it even harder, there were some genuinely amazing performances here at the Academy. But there’s no doubt that Shimmer Boy is fully deserving of the accolade of A New Local Hero – and all that goes with it. Hopefully this is going to open up a new chapter for an artist who we believe has the potential to go all the way – all the more so with the support of Hot Press and our 21 IBI stations.
“A huge thanks to all of the artists who performed for us tonight. You were brilliant. A New Local Hero 2026 provided further inspiring confirmation that Irish music is in a really healthy place. Long may it continue.”
The stations participating in Irish Music Month are, in alphabetical order: 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.
