Shimmer Boy Crowned 'A New Local Hero' 2026 At Dublin Finale

A New Local Hero is part of Irish Music Month, an initiative of Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland

Cork indie-folk artist Shimmer Boy has been named the winner of A New Local Hero 2026, a nationwide search for emerging talent that includes East Coast FM among its participating stations.

The result was announced at a live finale in The Academy in Dublin, where six finalists from across the country performed in front of fans, family and figures from the Irish music industry.

Prize package

Shimmer Boy, who represented Cork’s 96FM, wins €5,000 in prize money.

He will also record a single at Camden Recording Studios in Dublin with producer Cian Boylan.

The track will be mixed and mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Ruadhri Cushnan of Spéir Mix & Master, and released through Rubyworks, the label that discovered Hozier.

The Cork act released his debut album, In the Aftermath, We Bloom, this summer.

He has supported Dave Lofts and Robert Grace, and has had a sync placement in Made in Chelsea.

Six finalists, one winner

The six national finalists were Groev (Galway Bay FM), Rebecca Lane (FM104), RunTheRed (LMFM), Shimmer Boy (Cork’s 96FM), Sitting Room (KFM) and WineMom (Radio Nova).

Organisers said the acts brought a wide range of sounds and styles, and the night also included a guest performance from Dave Lofts.

Wildcard Award goes to Mayo

Chris Cresham of Midwest Radio won the public-voted Wildcard Award and a €2,500 bursary.

The Mayo singer-songwriter writes around storytelling and has spent recent months between Berlin and London writing and recording.

A local radio effort, including East Coast FM

A New Local Hero is part of Irish Music Month, an initiative of Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, supported by Coimisiún na Meán. East Coast FM was one of 21 local and regional stations that put forward a Local Hero from their own listening area. An industry panel then cut the field to six finalists.

Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said the standard across all 21 stations was “really incredible”, which made the judges’ job difficult.

He said Shimmer Boy was “fully deserving” of the title and had the potential “to go all the way”, and added that the night was further proof Irish music is in a healthy place.

The participating stations were Clare FM, Classic Hits, Cork’s 96FM, East Coast FM, FM104, Galway Bay FM, Highland Radio, KCLR, KFM, Limerick Live 95FM, LMFM, Midlands 103, Midwest Radio, Northern Sound, Ocean FM, Radio Kerry, Radio Nova, Shannonside FM, South East Radio, Sunshine FM, Tipp FM and WLR FM.