IMRO Radio Awards 2026 shortlist revealed

The shortlist for the 2026 IMRO Radio Awards has been announced, featuring work from radio stations across the island of Ireland.

Entries from national, regional, local, public service and commercial radio have made the shortlist, covering areas including news, current affairs, music, sport, speech, documentary, entertainment, digital innovation and community broadcasting.

Organisers say this year’s awards attracted one of the largest volumes of entries in the event’s history.

The shortlisted entries were chosen by an independent judging panel, which reviewed submissions from across Ireland.

The list includes work from established broadcasters and major networks alongside local stations, recognising people working both on air and behind the scenes.

The IMRO Radio Awards recognise work across the Irish radio industry, with categories covering a range of programmes, presenters, production and broadcasting.

Winners will be announced at the IMRO Radio Awards ceremony at the Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny on Friday 2 October 2026.

A1: General Music Programme

Cóisir Cheoil – RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Dave Moore on Today FM – Today FM
Mícheál, Shane & Ella on iRadio – iRadio
Ray Foley on Today FM – Today FM
The Lunchtime Show with Stephen Keogh – Tipp FM

A2: Specialist Music Programme

Céilí House: Edwina Guckian and the Gralton Big Band – RTÉ Radio 1
Routes – RTÉ Radio 1
Stephen McCauley – BBC Radio Ulster
Today FM Soundtracks with Dara Quilty – Today FM
Weekend Classics with Claudia Boyle – RTÉ lyric fm

A3: Breakfast Programme

98FM’s Big Breakfast with Rebecca & Brendan – 98FM
Beat Breakfast with Niall & Sho – Beat
Breakfast at the Ploughing – Midlands 103
SPIN’s Fully Charged with Ed & Valerie – SPIN SOUTH WEST
The LMFM Breakfast Show – LMFM

A4: Music Special / Music Event

30 Years Settling The Score – Midlands 103
Dave Moore Up Close & Personal with Westlife – Today FM
RTÉ lyric Live with Paul Herriott: Bill Whelan at 75 – RTÉ lyric fm
SPIN – Live at Longitude 2025 – SPIN 1038
Top 100 Greatest Irish Songs Live Finale – Today FM

A5: IMRO Irish Music Programme or Initiative

Headful of Hooks – Radio Nova
Lorcan Murray’s Classic Drive St Patrick’s Day Special – RTÉ lyric fm
New Moves with Niamh Daly – Radio Kerry
The All-Irish Hour – Radio Nova
The Full Score Spring Lunchtime Concert Series with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra – RTÉ lyric fm

B1: News Story

Fuel Protests – RTÉ Radio 1
It started with a phone call – The Kerry CAMHS Scandal – Radio Kerry
The Citywest Riots – Newstalk
The Noah Donohoe Inquest – The State of Us – BBC Radio Ulster
The President’s Sister and The Gaza Flotilla – Ocean FM

B2: News Programme – Full Service

Breakfast Briefing – Newstalk
Breakfast Business – Newstalk
Morning Ireland: A morning of great despair and overwhelming joy – RTÉ Radio 1
Soldier F – The Verdict – BBC Radio Ulster
Today FM’s 6@6 – Today FM

B3: News Programme – Local / Regional

Cork’s 96FM News – Cork’s 96FM
FYI Galway – Galway Bay FM
Let’s Talk – Shannonside Northern Sound
North West Today: The murder of Amy Doherty – BBC Radio Foyle
Ocean FM Lunchtime News – Ocean FM

B4: Current Affairs Programme – Full Service

Drivetime – RTÉ Radio 1
Good Morning Ulster – Cocaine special – BBC Radio Ulster
The Claire Byrne Show – Newstalk
The Pat Kenny Show – Newstalk
This Week – RTÉ Radio 1

B5: Current Affairs Programme – Local / Regional

Déise Today – The Fuel Crises 2026 – WLR FM
From Paddle Boards to Pews – The Joe Finnegan Show – Shannonside Northern Sound
Morning Focus – Clare FM
The Agenda – LMFM
The Morning Mix with Alan Corcoran – South East Radio

B6: Sports Story

All Roads Lead to Prague – RTÉ Radio 1
Bringing Liam Home – Tipp FM
KCLR Sport: A Great Day In November – KCLR
Tales from the Dreaper Yard – RTÉ Radio 1
Troy Parrott’s Joke of a Week – Newstalk

B7: Sports Programme – Full Service

Dunne Talking – RTÉ Radio 1
Inside Sport – RTÉ Radio 1
Inside Sport – FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Live – RTÉ Radio 1
Off The Ball – Newstalk
Off The Ball – Live – Newstalk

B8: Sports Programme – Local / Regional

Dublin Sport Today – Dublin’s Q102
KCLR Sport – KCLR
Live 95’s Limerick Sport – Live 95
Radio Kerry Weekend Sport – Radio Kerry
The Final Whistle – Ocean FM – Ocean FM

C1: Documentary

Assume Nothing: The Radiation Holiday – BBC Radio Ulster
Documentary on One: The Longest Game – RTÉ Radio 1
The Hidden Disability – Clare FM
The Lyric Feature – Recalling the Layers – RTÉ lyric fm
This Land Is Your Land – Newstalk

C2: Music, Arts & Culture Documentary

Oasis Forever – Today FM
Plenty Times – Newstalk
The Lyric Feature – Connie Gets a Rewrite – RTÉ lyric fm
The Lyric Feature – Out of the Marvellous – RTÉ lyric fm
‘Beauty or Beast’ – Clare FM

C3: Short Feature

Brenda Donohue: Woman in the Wild – RTÉ Radio 1
Did You Know? – 98FM
Síofra Mulqueen The Business Reports – RTÉ Radio 1
The Cooke Reports – RTÉ Radio 1
Words Matter – Radio Kerry

C4: Magazine Programme

Courage – The Saturday Supplement – Radio Kerry
Saturday with John Toal – BBC Radio Ulster
Something For the Weekend with Trina Mara – Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio
The Loose Cannons – South East Radio
Travels Through a Kingdom: Forever19 – Radio Kerry

C5: Drama

Jó Johnny Joe – RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Mea Culpa on WLR – WLR FM
RTÉ Drama on One: 30 Acres – RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Drama on One: Chalk & Cheese by Isolde Fenton – RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ Drama on One: Heaven by Eugene O’Brien – RTÉ Radio 1

C6: Specialist Speech Programme

International Women’s Day Special – South East Radio
Just Who Was Peter Bergmann? – Ocean FM
Taking Care of Business – Midlands 103
The Business with Richard Curran – RTÉ Radio 1
Unfiltered – Éist Linn – RTÉ 2fm

C7: Craoltóireacht le Gaeilge

An Club le hAindriú agus Hugh – RTÉ 2fm
Barrscéalta – RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Blas Ceoil: Oireachtas na Samhna i mBéal Feirste – BBC Gaeilge
Splanc le Cuán Ó Flatharta – Newstalk
Ár dTeanga, Ár gCathair – Dublin’s FM104

C8: Interactive Speech Programme

Bitter Lanes: The Active Travel Fallout – WLR FM
Liveline: the Epstein Float – RTÉ Radio 1
Lunchtime Live – Newstalk
North West Today – Ocean FM
The Stephen Nolan Show – BBC Radio Ulster

C9: Sustainability

28 Ways to Save the World – Newstalk
Countrywide – RTÉ Radio 1
Protecting the Ringed Plover – Radio Kerry
This Week Environment Reports – RTÉ Radio 1
What The Woods Told Me – Ocean FM

D1: Community/Social Action

Cork’s 96FM – Giving for Living Radiothon – Cork’s 96FM
Make a Wish – Newstalk
Many Voices One Kingdom – Radio Kerry
RedFM Breakfast with KC – Coffee Shop Rave – Cork’s RedFM
The RedFM Rebel Rebuild – Cork’s RedFM

D2: On-Air Competition / Promotion

Good Luck Jessie – Radio Kerry
Graham & Nathan – Hard At Work Charity Calendar – Dublin’s FM104
iRadio’s Fuel Fill – iRadio
Morning Glory Grillfest with OutdoorLiving.ie – Radio Nova
Radio Nova’s Poker Run with 123ink.ie – Radio Nova

D3: Station Imaging

2fm Station Imaging – RTÉ 2fm
98FM – 98FM
Shannonside Northern Sound – Shannonside Northern Sound
SPIN 1038 – SPIN 1038
Today FM – Today FM

D4: Entertainment Inserts

2fm Breakfast Entertainment Inserts – RTÉ 2fm
98FM’s Super Sniffer – 98FM
April Fools Dave – SPIN 1038
Gift Grub – The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show – Today FM
iMornings with Cooper & Oonagh – iRadio

D5: Digital & Social Innovation

#ProudOfJessie – Radio Kerry
Beat Goes To Prague – Beat
Dublin Delish – 98FM
iRadio’s iSPY – iRadio
Today FM’s 100 Greatest Irish Songs – Today FM

D6: Radio Podcast of the Year

Back To Life: Co. Wexford Stories of Derelict Homes – South East Radio
Joe Decks – Vinyl, Vodka and Me – Highland Radio
Let Me Explain – Newstalk
Mi Casa, Su Casa – A Love Island Podcast from SPIN – SPIN 1038
Show Me The Science with Professor Luke O’Neill – Newstalk

E1: Music and Entertainment Presenter of the Year

Stephen Keogh – Tipp FM
Graham O’Toole – Dublin’s FM104
Ray Foley – Today FM
Emma Nolan – SPIN 1038
Katie Jane Cronin – Cork’s RedFM

E2: Radio DJ of the Year

Brian McEvoy – Cork’s 96FM
Leanne Hanafin – 98FM
Louise Duffy – RTÉ Radio 1
Matthew Mathews – SPIN 1038
Simon Murdoch – Cork’s 96FM – Cork’s 96FM

E3: Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year

Dara Quilty – Today FM
Dec Pierce – Block Rockin Beats – Today FM
Dónall Mac Ruairí – Cóisir Cheoil – RTÉ Raidió Na Gaeltachta
JJ O Shea – Radio Kerry
Kieran McGuinness – Radio Nova

E4: News Broadcaster of the Year

Eamonn Torsney – Newstalk
Elaine McGee – BBC Radio Foyle
Justin McCarthy – RTÉ Radio 1
Richard Morgan – BBC Radio Ulster
Sarah McInerney – RTÉ Radio 1

E5: News Reporter of the Year

Barry Lenihan – RTÉ Radio 1
Brian O’Connell – RTÉ Radio 1
Cian McCormack – RTÉ Radio 1
Henry McKean – Newstalk
Sarah Madden – Newstalk

E6: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service

Cathal Minogue – Today FM
Eoin Sheahan – Newstalk
Jacqui Hurley – RTÉ Radio 1
John Duggan – Newstalk
Marie Crowe – RTÉ Radio 1

E7: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Local / Regional

Austin O’Callaghan – Ocean FM
Hazel Nolan – Dublin’s Q102
Odhrán Johnson – Beat
Oisín Kelly – Highland Radio
Tim Moynihan – Radio Kerry

E8: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service

Anton Savage – Newstalk
Brendan O’Connor – RTÉ Radio 1
Katie Hannon – RTÉ Radio 1
Kieran Cuddihy – RTÉ Radio 1
Michelle Nic Grianna – RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta

E9: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Local / Regional

Damien Tiernan on WLR – WLR FM
John Morley – Galway Bay FM
Neil Prendeville – Cork’s RedFM – Cork’s RedFM
Niall Delaney – Ocean FM
Valerie McHugh – iRadio

E10: The Gay Byrne Award – Newcomer of the Year

Aaron Kelly – Shannonside Northern Sound
Barry Gallagher – RTÉ Radio 1
Eimear Hallahan – Cork’s RedFM
Jamie Ryan (East Coast FM) – East Coast FM
Nathan Edgar – BBC Radio Ulster

F1: Radio Moment of the Year

“He’s All I Have Left” – Cork’s RedFM
Brenda Fricker on Brendan O’Connor – RTÉ Radio 1
Our Lives of Horror – Ocean FM
Today FM’s 100 Greatest Irish Songs Live Finale – Today FM
“I’ve been living a lie”: The Hard Shoulder – Newstalk