The RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards return this November with the shortlist announced on 4 November and the awards ceremony taking place on the 16th.

It will be a live event at Vicar Street with audience and tickets are now on sale.

The event will be presented by Ruth Smith and John Creedon and there will be seven awards, including: Best Folk Singer, Best Folk Instrumentalist, Best Folk Group, Best Folk Album, Best Original Folk Track, Best Traditional Folk Track and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Last year, Steve Cooney received three awards plus the Lifetime Achievement Award. Radie Peat won Best Folk Singer, Lankum won Best Folk Group, Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill won Best Original Track for ‘Baby Talk’, and Frank Harte was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Commenting on this year’s awards, Ann-Marie Power, RTÉ Group Head of Arts and Culture, said:

After a very challenging year for Ireland’s musicians and artists, it is great to be able to broadcast this year’s RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards live from Vicar Street in front of a live audience with highlights on RTÉ One. I remember when Colm Mac Con Iomaire broadcast live from his home at the beginning of the pandemic, and since then I’ve been amazed at the creative and innovative responses from our folk musicians through these past eighteen months. We’re really looking forward to once again using the reach of RTÉ to honour this work, not to mention the joy of having musicians play together under the same roof in Vicar Street for another night of magic.

The event, featuring live performances from some of this year’s nominees, will be broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 at 8pm and television highlights will be presented on RTÉ One on Saturday 20 November.

To purchase tickets, see here.