Today FM has been named National Station of the Year at the 2026 IMRO Radio Awards in Kilkenny.
Shannonside Northern Sound took home Local Station of the Year, while SPIN 1038 was named Music Station of the Year and Brenda Fricker’s appearance on Brendan O’Connor on RTÉ Radio 1 won Radio Moment of the Year.
The ceremony, hosted by Dermot Whelan at the Lyrath Estate Hotel on Friday 2 October, brought together broadcasters, presenters and production teams from across Ireland to recognise achievements in 42 categories.
Dermot Whelan’s introduction to the event, and annual roasting of the radio industry never fails to entertain. Some say listening to the radio roast is the highlight of the night, whilst others dread the words heading their way.
Special roasts this year went to RTE Gold, iRadio’s breakfast show, and Dermot’s long suffering co-host, Dave Moore. Special mentions went to 2FM for its schedule changes, and Claire Byrne for joining Newstalk.
The four main awards were among those presented during the evening, which recognised work across the radio industry, including those working behind the scenes.
Chris Doyle, Chair of the IMRO Radio Awards Committee, said: “The IMRO awards recognise the voices we hear, but also the teams whose creativity makes great radio possible. Congratulations to everyone recognised tonight.”
The evening also recognised the four people inducted into the 2026 IMRO Radio Awards Hall of Fame at a separate event in September.
Michael Crawley from LMFM, Teena Gates from Bauer Media Ireland, Helen Ní Shé from RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and Marty Whelan from RTÉ lyric fm were welcomed by those attending the ceremony.
Tom Dunne, Chair of IMRO, marked the organisation’s involvement with the awards, having been the title sponsor since 2017.
He thanked the presenters, producers, researchers, journalists, music programmers, sound engineers and station teams for their contributions to Irish radio.
Aoife MacEvilly, Broadcasting and Video-on-Demand Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, also congratulated the winners and highlighted the organisation’s continued support for radio through its funding schemes and work on its Broadcasting Services Strategy.
The IMRO Radio Awards recognise achievements across the Irish radio industry, including national, regional and local broadcasting.
Here are all the winners.
A1 General Music Programme
Gold: Mícheál, Shane & Ella on iRadio, iRadio
Silver: Ray Foley on Today FM, Today FM
Bronze: Dave Moore on Today FM, Today FM
A2 Specialist Music Programme
Gold: Stephen McCauley, BBC Radio Ulster
Silver: Céilí House: Edwina Guckian and the Gralton Big Band, RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Weekend Classics with Claudia Boyle, RTÉ lyric fm
A3 Breakfast Programme
Gold: Breakfast at the Ploughing, Midlands 103
Silver: 98FM’s Big Breakfast with Rebecca & Brendan, 98FM
Bronze: SPINS Fully Charged with Ed & Valerie, SPIN South West
A4 Music Special / Music Event
Gold: Top 100 Greatest Irish Songs Live Finale, Today FM
Silver: SPIN Live at Longitude 2025, SPIN 1038
Bronze: 30 Years Settling The Score, Midlands 103
A5 IMRO Irish Music Programme or Initiative
Gold: The Full Score Spring Lunchtime Concert Series with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, RTÉ lyric fm
Silver: New Moves with Niamh Daly, Radio Kerry
Bronze: The All-Irish Hour, Radio Nova
B1 News Story / News Event
Gold: Fuel Protests, RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: It started with a phone call, The Kerry CAMHS Scandal, Radio Kerry
Bronze: The Citywest Riots, Newstalk
B2 News Programme, Full Service
Gold: Soldier F, The Verdict, BBC Radio Ulster
Silver: Morning Ireland: A morning of great despair and overwhelming joy, RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Breakfast Briefing, Newstalk
B3 News Programme, Local / Regional
Gold: North West Today: The murder of Amy Doherty, BBC Radio Foyle
Silver: FYI Galway, Galway Bay FM
Bronze: Cork’s 96FM News, Cork’s 96FM
B4 Current Affairs Programme, Full Service
Gold: Drivetime, RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: The Claire Byrne Show, Newstalk
Bronze: This Week, RTÉ Radio 1
B5 Current Affairs Programme, Local / Regional
Gold: The Morning Mix with Alan Corcoran, South East Radio
Silver: Deise Today, The Fuel Crises 2026, WLR FM
Bronze: The Agenda, LMFM
B6 Sports Story
Gold: All Roads Lead to Prague, RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Tales from the Dreaper Yard, RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Bringing Liam Home, Tipp FM
B7 Sports Programme, Full Service
Gold: Off The Ball, Newstalk
Silver: Inside Sport, FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Live, RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Inside Sport, RTÉ Radio 1
B8 Sports Programme, Local / Regional
Gold: Dublin Sport Today, Dublin’s Q102
Silver: Radio Kerry Weekend Sport, Radio Kerry
Bronze: Live 95’s Limerick Sport, Live 95
C1 Documentary
Gold: The Hidden Disability, Clare FM
Silver: Assume Nothing: The Radiation Holiday, Radio Ulster
Bronze: This Land Is Your Land, Newstalk
C2 Music, Arts & Culture Documentary
Gold: Beauty or Beast, Clare FM
Silver: The Lyric Feature: Out of the Marvellous, RTÉ lyric fm
Bronze: Oasis Forever, Today FM
C3 Short Feature
Gold: Words Matter, Radio Kerry
Silver: Did You Know?, 98FM
Bronze: Síofra Mulqueen The Business Reports, RTÉ Radio 1
C4 Magazine Programme
Gold: Travels Through a Kingdom: Forever19, Radio Kerry
Silver: Saturday with John Toal, BBC Radio Ulster
Bronze: Courage, The Saturday Supplement, Radio Kerry
C5 Drama
Gold: Jó Johnny Joe, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Silver: RTÉ Drama on One: 30 Acres, RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: RTÉ Drama on One: Chalk & Cheese by Isolde Fenton, RTÉ Radio 1
C6 Specialist Speech Programme
Gold: Unfiltered, Éist Linn, RTÉ 2fm
Silver: Just Who Was Peter Bergmann?, Ocean FM
Bronze: The Business with Richard Curran, RTÉ Radio 1
C7 Craoltóireacht le Gaeilge
Gold: Barrscéalta, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Silver: An Club le hAindriú agus Hugh, RTÉ 2fm
Bronze: Blas Ceoil: Oireachtas na Samhna i mBéal Feirste, BBC Gaeilge
C8 Interactive Speech Programme
Gold: The Stephen Nolan Show, BBC Radio Ulster
Silver: Liveline: the Epstein Float, RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Lunchtime Live, Newstalk
C9 Sustainability of the Year
Gold: What The Woods Told Me, Ocean FM
Silver: 28 Ways to Save the World, Newstalk
Bronze: Countrywide, RTÉ Radio 1
D1 Community / Social Action
Gold: Many Voices One Kingdom, Radio Kerry
Silver: The RedFM Rebel Rebuild, Cork’s RedFM
Bronze: RedFM Breakfast with KC, Coffee Shop Rave, RedFM
D2 On-Air Competition / Promotion
Gold: Radio Nova’s Poker Run with 123ink.ie, Radio Nova
Silver: Good Luck Jessie, Radio Kerry
Bronze: Graham & Nathan, Hard At Work Charity Calendar, Dublin’s FM104
D3 Station Imaging
Gold: Today FM, Today FM
Silver: 98FM, 98FM
Bronze: 2FM Station Imaging, RTÉ 2fm
D4 Entertainment Inserts
Gold: Gift Grub, The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, Today FM
Silver: iMornings with Cooper & Oonagh, iRadio
Bronze: April Fools Dave, SPIN 1038
D5 Digital & Social Innovation
Gold: iRadio’s iSPY, iRadio
Silver: #ProudOfJessie, Radio Kerry
Bronze: Today FM’s 100 Greatest Irish Songs, Today FM
D6 Radio Station Podcast of the Year
Gold: Let Me Explain, Newstalk
Silver: Show Me The Science with Professor Luke O’Neill, Newstalk
Bronze: Mi Casa, Su Casa, A Love Island Podcast from SPIN, SPIN 1038
E1 Music & Entertainment Presenter of the Year
Gold: Emma Nolan, SPIN 1038
Silver: Ray Foley, Today FM
Bronze: Graham O’Toole, Dublin’s FM104
E2 Radio DJ of the Year
Gold: Leanne Hanafin, 98FM
Silver: Brian McEvoy, Cork’s 96FM
Bronze: Simon Murdoch, Cork’s 96FM
E3 Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year
Gold: Dónall Mac Ruairí, Cóisir Cheoil, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Silver: Dara Quilty, Today FM
Bronze: Dec Pierce, Block Rockin Beats, Today FM
E4 News Broadcaster of the Year
Gold: Justin McCarthy, RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Richard Morgan, BBC Radio Ulster
Bronze: Sarah McInerney, RTÉ
E5 News Reporter of the Year
Gold: Brian O’Connell, RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Barry Lenihan, RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Henry McKean, Newstalk
E6 Sports Broadcaster of the Year, Full Service
Gold: John Duggan, Newstalk
Silver: Eoin Sheahan, Newstalk
Bronze: Marie Crowe, RTÉ Radio 1
E7 Sports Broadcaster of the Year, Local / Regional
Gold: Oisín Kelly, Highland Radio
Silver: Hazel Nolan, Dublin’s Q102
Bronze: Austin O’Callaghan, Ocean FM
E8 Speech Broadcaster of the Year, Full Service
Gold: Brendan O’Connor, RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Kieran Cuddihy, RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Katie Hannon, RTÉ Radio 1
E9 Speech Broadcaster of the Year, Local / Regional
Gold: Neil Prendeville, Cork’s RedFM
Silver: Valerie McHugh, iRadio
Bronze: John Morley, Galway Bay FM
E10 The Gay Byrne Award, Newcomer of the Year
Gold: Jamie Ryan, East Coast FM
Silver: Nathan Edgar, BBC Radio Ulster
Bronze: Eimear Hallahan, Cork’s RedFM
F1 Radio Moment of the Year
Gold: Brenda Fricker on Brendan O’Connor, RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: He’s All I Have Left, Cork’s RedFM
Bronze: Our Lives of Horror, Ocean FM
F2 Local Station of the Year
Gold: Shannonside Northern Sound
Silver: Midlands 103
Bronze: Radio Kerry
F3 Music Station of the Year
Gold: SPIN 1038
Silver: 98FM
Bronze: iRadio
F4 National Station of the Year
Gold: Today FM
Silver: RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: BBC Radio Ulster
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