RTÉ Radio 1 has announced the shortlist for the 2021 Folk Awards. There are six awards, plus the Lifetime Achievement Award which will be announced next week, and an artist will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the awards ceremony on 16 November. 

John Francis Flynn has been shortlisted for four awards including Best Folk Album for I Would Not Live Always, Best Traditional Folk Track for ‘My Son Tim’, Best Folk Singer, and Best Emerging Artist. Susan O’Neill has also received four nominations including Best Folk Singer and Best Original Folk Track for ‘Almost’, and, with Mick Flannery, ‘Chain Reaction’ and Best Folk Album for In the Game.

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Ultan O’Brien have received three nominations including Best Folk Album for Solas an Lae, Best Traditional Folk Track for ‘Cúirt Bhaile Nua’ and Best Emerging Artist.

Also nominated for awards are Joshua Burnside and Laura Quirke for their original song ‘Taking the Wheel’, Lorcan MacMathúna for ‘An Bhuatais’, Ye Vagabonds, Rhiannon Giddens and Francesca Turrisi, Dani Larkin, Caoimhin Ó Fearghaill, Ryan Molloy, Alannah Thornburgh, Lisa O’Neill and Colm Mac Con Iomaire, and more.

The awards will take place at Vicar Street on 16 November. The event will also be broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 and television highlights will be presented on RTÉ One on Saturday 20 November.

See the full list of nominees below. To purchase tickets, see here.

Best Original Folk Track
Almost – Susan O’Neill
Bread and Wine – Adrian Crowley
Chain Reaction – Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill
Patsy Cline – Jack O’Rourke
Taking the Wheel – Joshua Burnside and Laura Quirke

Best Traditional Folk Track
An Bhuatais – Lorcan MacMathúna
Cúirt Bhaile Nua – Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Ultan O’Brien
Easter Snow / Sally Gally– Ryan Molloy and Padraig McGovern
I’m a Rover – Ye Vagabonds
My Son Tim – John Francis Fynn
Peggy Gordon – Lisa O’Neill and Colm Mac Con Iomaire

Best Folk Singer
John Francis Flynn
Emma Langford
Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
Susan O’Neill
Declan O’Rourke

Best Folk Instrumentalist
Brian Finnegan
Martin Hayes
Ryan Molloy
Caoimhin Ó Fearghaill
Alannah Thornburgh

Best Folk Group
Greenshine
Moxie
The Whileaways
Villagers
Ye Vagabonds

Best Folk Album
I Would Not Live Always – John Francis Flynn
They’re Calling Me Home – Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi
In the Game – Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill
Solas an Lae – Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Ultan O’Brien
Where I Should End – Saint Sister

Best Emerging Artist
Bridín
John Francis Flynn
Dani Larkin
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Ultan O’Brien
Alannah Thornburgh