Radio Turns It Up in Kilkenny as the 2026 IMRO Radio Awards Winners Are Revealed.

Kilkenny, Friday 2 October 2026. The volume was well and truly up at the Lyrath Estate Hotel tonight as the IMRO Radio Awards 2026 brought together the people who keep Ireland talking, laughing and singing along every single day. Hosted by Dermot Whelan the night celebrated 42 categories of radio at its very best, with broadcasters and producers from every corner of the island filling the room with the kind of energy you can't fake on air.
Four awards stole the spotlight.

• Radio Moment of the Year went to Brenda Fricker on Brendan O’Connor – RTÉ Radio 1
• Local Station of the Year went to Shannonside Northern Sound
• Music Station of the Year went to Spin 1038
• National Station of the Year went to Today FM

Chris Doyle, Chair of the IMRO Radio Awards Committee, said ”Across the awards, we have seen bold ideas, brilliant storytelling and an extraordinary understanding of audiences. The IMRO awards recognise the voices we hear, but also the teams whose creativity makes great radio possible. Congratulations to everyone recognised tonight. You have given Irish radio another year worth celebrating”

The night also belonged to the 2026 Hall of Fame inductees, Michael Crawley (LMFM) Teena Gates (Bauer Media Ireland), Helen Ní Shé (RTÉ Raidió Na Gaeltachta) and Marty Whelan (RTÉ lyric fm) , who were inducted at a special event at IMRO in September and received a rousing welcome from the room in Kilkenny.
Tom Dunne, Chair of IMRO, said “IMRO has been the title sponsor of the Radio Awards since 2017 and we are as proud to support these awards today as we were 9 years ago.
This evening is a chance to recognise the presenters, producers, researchers, journalists, music programmers, sound engineers and station teams whose talent and dedication shape outstanding radio every day. The standard of work represented across these awards is a powerful reminder of the imagination and professionalism that define the sector. Congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees and winners. Thank you for the stories you tell, the music you share and the connection you create.”

Aoife MacEvilly, Broadcasting & Video-on-Demand Commissioner Coimisiún na Meán, said “Coimisiún na Meán is proud to sponsor the IMRO Radio Awards again this year. Radio plays a key role in our media landscape and Coimisiún na Meán is committed to supporting the sector in a range of ways, for example through our funding schemes and engagement on the development of our Broadcasting Services Strategy. These Awards are a wonderful opportunity to recognize and celebrate the excellence and dedication of those in the industry, and I would like to congratulate this year's winners, and all involved in delivering for listeners and shaping radio for the future.
As the last award was handed out and the dance floor took over, one thing was clear. Irish radio is in brilliant voice, and the class of 2026 has set the bar high for next year.