Here are the nominations for the IMRO Radio Awards 2018 – judged by a team of 90 who listened to 275 hours worth of audio between them.
Together, there are 217 shortlisted nominations in 37 categories. Local stations received 134 nominations while national stations received 84 nominations.
The Awards cover a diverse range of programming including music, speech, news, sport and individuals. Entries for the all-Ireland Awards come from an array of stations from RTÉ and BBC to Newstalk, Dublin’s FM104 to 4FM, Highland Radio in Donegal to Radio Kerry and from Downtown Radio in Belfast to Wexford’s South East Radio.
A spokesperson for the Radio Awards Committee said today “Heartiest well done to all the nominees, we applaud the quality of the entries this year. Radio in Ireland is thriving once again and we are delighted to see such a varying range of programming being submitted.”
The awards will be announced on October 5th. Here they are in full:
| Category | Station |
| A1 | |
| General Music Programme | |
| Fergal D’Arcy | Today FM |
| The Zoo Crew | Spin 1038 |
| Chris and Ciara | RTÉ 2fm |
| Muireann O’Connell | Today FM |
| The Big Ride Home with Dara Quilty | 98FM |
| The Eoghan McDermott Show | RTÉ 2fm |
| A2 | |
| Specialist Music Programme | |
| The Rolling Wave | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| The Paul McLoone Show | Today FM |
| Classical Connections John Toal | BBC Radio Foyle |
| Ceilí House | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| The Paschal Mooney Show: Big Tom Doesn’t Play Here Anymore | Ocean FM |
| Soundscapes with Stephen McAuley | BBC Radio Foyle |
| A3 | |
| Breakfast Programme | |
| Gold Breakfast with Will Leahy | RTÉ Gold |
| The KC Show featuring Ross Browne | Cork’s 96FM |
| South East Radio Breakfast with Dave Redmond | South East Radio |
| The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show | Today FM |
| PJ and Jim in the Morning | Classic Hits 4FM |
| Aidan & Oonagh in the Morning | iRadio |
| A4 | |
| Music Special | |
| Jazz Club – the Jazz and Blues of Sir Van Morrison | BBC Radio Ulster |
| FM104’s Strawberry Alarm Clock – Aslan Special | FM104 |
| Sailing Homeward to Coney Island | Ocean FM |
| Opera Night – Eithne | RTÉ lyric fm |
| Elvis Day on WLR | WLR |
| In My Own Words | Tipp FM |
| A5 | |
| New Irish Music / Musical Talent Programme | |
| Across the Line | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Green on Red | Red FM |
| 98FM’s Totally Irish | 98FM |
| FM104’s Open Mic | FM104 |
| Rough Sunday | LMFM |
| When Teresanne met Ruthanne | WLR |
| B1 | |
| News Story | |
| Big Tom – Death of a Legend | Shannonside Northen Sound |
| Belfast Rape Trial | Newstalk |
| Paedophile Hunters | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Ibrahim Halawa | 98FM |
| Baby John Is My Name | Radio Kerry |
| August Floods | BBC Radio Foyle |
| B2 | |
| News Bulletin | |
| Midlands 103 News | Midlands 103 |
| Downtown Radio & Cool FM | Downtown Radio/Cool FM |
| Today FM News | Today FM |
| 98FM News | 98FM |
| Red FM News | Red FM |
| Newstalk | Newstalk |
| B3 | |
| News Programme – Full Service | |
| No Shortlist is Published for This Category | |
| B4 | |
| News Programme – Local/Regional | |
| Beast from the East | WLR |
| Main Lunchtime News | Ocean FM |
| Northern Sound News at 1 | Shannonside Northern Sound |
| The Breakfast Show After the Flood | BBC Radio Foyle |
| The Michael Reade Show | LMFM |
| Beat News Round Up Referendum Special | Beat 102 103 |
| B5 | |
| Current Affairs Programme – Full Service | |
| Evening Extra | BBC Radio Ulster |
| The Last Word with Matt Cooper | Today FM |
| The Pat Kenny Show | Newstalk |
| Ivan Yates: The Belfast Rape Trial Verdict | Newstalk |
| The Nolan Show | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Between The Lines | Newstalk |
| B6 | |
| Current Affairs Programme – Local/Regional | |
| The Wider View Countdown to Brexit | Shannonside Northern Sound |
| Morning Focus | Clare FM |
| Remembering Dolores | Limerick’s Live 95 |
| KCLR Live | KCLR |
| Midlands Today with Will Faulkner | Midlands 103 |
| Morning Mix Anti Social Behaviour | South East Radio |
| B7 | |
| Sports Story | |
| Top of the World | Clare FM |
| Back from the Brink: Institute Football Club | BBC Radio Foyle |
| Radio ‘GAA GAA’ – All Ireland On WLR | WLR |
| The Munich Air Disaster 1958 | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Silenced No More, Ashamed No More | Newstalk |
| Ireland’s Grand Slam Journey | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| B8 | |
| Sports Programme – Full Service | |
| Off The Ball | Newstalk |
| Championship Sunday | Today FM |
| Premier League Live | Today FM |
| Sunday Sport Remembering Jimmy | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| OTB Live | Newstalk |
| The Marty Squad | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| B9 | |
| Sports Programme – Local/Regional | |
| The Brandywell Reborn | BBC Radio Foyle |
| The Score | Cork’s 96 FM |
| Over the Line | Galway Bay FM |
| When the Gloves are Off | Ocean FM |
| Big Red Bench | Red FM |
| Now That’s What I Call Sport | 98FM |
| C1 | |
| Documentary/Feature | |
| Top of the World | Clare FM |
| An Unholy Trinity | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| The Book Show, Tristram Shandy | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| After Tuskar Rock | Newstalk |
| Frank Stagg’s Three Funerals | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| 007, The Irish Connection | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| C2 | |
| Music Documentary | |
| The Recovery Café | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Conversations About the King | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| An Seisiún | RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta |
| Totally Irish – Music Makers | 98FM |
| Berlin Calling | RTÉ 2XM |
| This Aint no Party | RTÉ 2XM |
| C3 | |
| Short Feature | |
| Baby in a Coffin, Real Life Abortion Stories | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Citizens | BBC Radio Ulster |
| KCLR – The Historyman | KCLR |
| Science Drops | Red Hare Media |
| CAKE | RTÉjr |
| The Book Show, Song of Winter | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| C4 | |
| Magazine Programme | |
| The Open Door with Ann Marie Kelly | Midlands 103 |
| Plan B | Spin 103.8 |
| Moncrieff | Newstalk |
| The Ray D’Arcy Show | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Reasons To Be Cheerful | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| The John Toal Show | BBC Radio Ulster |
| C5 | |
| Drama | |
| Captives | Newstalk |
| The Art of Foot-Binding by Danielle McLaughlin | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| A Pilot’s Honour | Newstalk |
| K.L.O. for the Doggy by Robert Barrett | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Mr Wall, Ep 1 & 2 | RTÉjr |
| 100 Everyday Menaces | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| C6 | |
| Specialist Speech Broadcaster of the Year | |
| The Bergen Whale | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| My Teenage Christmas | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| A Grave Profession | Ocean FM |
| Futureproof – Enemies of the State | Newstalk |
| The Fertile Plan | South East Radio |
| Science & Stuff with Emer Maguire | BBC Radio Ulster |
| C7 | |
| Craoltoireacht le Gaeilge | |
| Fiona Ní Dhonnabháin’s Samhlaigh | Red FM |
| Splanc | Newstalk |
| Rónán Beo @ 3 | RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta |
| Pop Raidió le Laois De Cantilliun | Spin SW |
| Scoil Bhríde – 100 Bliain d’Aois | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Rí Rá ar R na G | RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta |
| C8 | |
| Interactive Speech Programme | |
| Lunchtime Live: Cervical Check | Newstalk |
| The Neil Prendeville Show: Depraved Children’s Rape List | Red FM |
| The Opinion Line | Cork’s 96FM |
| Liveline: Forced apart after 63 Years, Kathleen & Michael Devereux | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| The Joe Finnegan Show: There’s no words today, words are no good today | Shannonside Northern Sound |
| 98FM’s Dublin Talks | 98FM |
| D1 | |
| Community/Social Action | |
| Giving for Living Radiothon | Cork’s 96FM |
| KCLR Big Spring Clean Up | KCLR |
| Dare to Care | Today FM |
| Classic Hits Wish Week | Classic Hits 4FM |
| Damien Edgar: Save the Next One | Downtown Radio/Cool FM |
| Live 95FM’s 95 Stop Tour | Limerick’s Live 95 |
| D2 | |
| On-Air Competitions / Promotions | |
| Coffin Lock In: The Return | Beat 102103 |
| Best of Dublin Awards | 98FM |
| Spin 1038 & Red Bull Flugtag | Spin 103.8 |
| Billboard Singles | Spin 103.8 |
| Big Slide Festival | 98FM |
| Today FM’s F-Annemarie | Today FM |
| D3 | |
| Station Imaging | |
| Today FM | Today FM |
| Cork’s 96FM | Cork’s 96FM |
| Radio Nova | Radio Nova |
| 98FM | 98FM |
| FM104 | FM104 |
| Spin 103.8 | Spin 103.8 |
| D4 | |
| Entertainment Inserts | |
| FM104’s Strawberry Alarm Clock with Jim-Jim & Nobby | FM104 |
| Molly in the Morning | Galway Bay FM |
| Dermot & Dave’s Entertainment Inserts | Today FM |
| The KC Show Featuring Ross Browne | Cork’s 96 FM |
| Mario Rosenstock | Today FM |
| Breakfast with Ray & Jay | Red FM |
| D5 | |
| Innovation | |
| Futureproof: The State Watches | Newstalk |
| Newstalk Ireland’s Town | Newstalk |
| Billboard Singles | Spin 103.8 |
| From Red FM to Ed FM | Red FM |
| Be the Voice | Radio Kerry |
| Shazam & Win with Radio Nova | Radio Nova |
| E1 | |
| Music and Entertainment Broadcaster | |
| Jim-Jim Nugent | FM104 |
| Dara Quilty | 98FM |
| Ray Foley | Red FM |
| Muireann O’Connell | Today FM |
| Fergal D’Arcy | Today FM |
| KC on the the KC Show on Cork’s 96FM | Cork’s 96FM |
| E2 | |
| Radio DJ | |
| Darren Rice | Beat 102103 |
| Laura Bracken | Spin 103.8 |
| David Hammond | Beat 102103 |
| Steve K | Spin 103.8 |
| Andy Clarke | 98FM |
| Tracy Clifford | RTÉ 2fm |
| E3 | |
| Specialist Music Broadcaster | |
| Paul McLoone | Today FM |
| JJ O’Shea | Radio Kerry |
| Stephen McCauley | BBC Radio Foyle |
| Ann Marie Kelly | Midlands 103 |
| Lynette Fay | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Ralph McLean | BBC Radio Ulster |
| E4 | |
| News Broadcaster | |
| Elaine McGee | BBC Radio Foyle |
| Colm Ó Mongáin | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Brendan O’Loughlin | 98FM |
| Lana O’Connor | Red FM |
| Seamus McKee | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Audrey Carville | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| E5 | |
| News Reporter | |
| Brian O’Connell | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Henry McKean | Newstalk |
| Kevin Magee | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Philip Boucher-Hayes | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Fiona O’Donovan | Red FM |
| Barry Lenihan | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| E6 | |
| Sports Broadcaster | |
| Darren Frehill | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| Raf Diallo | Newstalk |
| John Duggan | Today FM |
| Joe Molloy | Newstalk |
| Nathan Murphy | Newstalk |
| Ger Gilroy | Newstalk |
| E7 | |
| Sports Broadcaster – Local/Regional | |
| Darragh Cox | Ocean FM |
| Derrick Lynch | Clare FM |
| Eric White | BBC Radio Foyle |
| Darren Cleary | 98FM |
| Tim Moynihan | Radio Kerry |
| Jamie Moore | 98FM |
| E8 | |
| Speech Broadcaster – Full Service | |
| Pat Kenny | Newstalk |
| Ivan Yates | Newstalk |
| Stephen Nolan | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Sean Moncrieff | Newstalk |
| Audrey Carville | RTÉ Radio 1 |
| John Toal | BBC Radio Ulster |
| E9 | |
| Speech Broadcaster – Local/Regional | |
| Jeremy Dixon | 98FM |
| PJ Coogan on The Opinion Line | Cork’s 96FM |
| Shane Beatty | KFM |
| Will Faulkner | Midlands 103 |
| Fran Curry | Tipp FM |
| Patricia Messinger | C103 |
| Declan Meehan | East Coast FM |
| E10 | |
| Newcomer | |
| Ben Finnegan | Midlands 103 |
| Jaz Keane | Spin 103.8 |
| Debbie Ridgard | Beat 102103 |
| Tommy Walsh | Newstalk |
| Emer Maguire | BBC Radio Ulster |
| Sasha Wylie | Downtown/Cool FM |
| F1 | |
| Local Station of the Year | |
| No Shortlist is Published for This Category | |
| F2 | |
| Music Station | |
| No Shortlist is Published for This Category | |
| F3 | |
| Full Service Station | |
| No Shortlist is Published for This Category |