Renowned Arranmore singer Róise Rua will be inducted into the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards Hall of Fame this year.
Róise, who was also known as Róise na nAmhrán, will be Ireland’s 7th inductee for the posthumous award.
Róise passed on a rich heritage of folk music and preserved many songs that would otherwise have been lost, but have now travelled far beyond her home county.
Georgina Dudgeon, a relative of Róise Rua who has been involved in promoting and celebrating her great-grand-aunt’s legacy, will be among the guests of honour the 7th RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards at Vicar Street, to accept the award on her behalf.
An impressive number of Donegal artists have been named finalists for this year’s awards.
Altan of Gweedore is nominated for Best Folk Group.
Kilcar fiddler Iarfhlaith Ó Domhnaill, who collaborated with Natalie Ní Chasaide on “Welcome Home, Gráinne”, is nominated for Best Traditional Folk Track.
Letterkenny native Claire Kinsella, who is one half of folk duo Lemoncello with Laura Quirke, is nominated for Best Folk Album for the self-titled Lemoncello as well as Best Original Folk Track for “Old Friend”.
Diane Cannon from Meenlaragh has also been nominated for Best Traditional Folk Track with “Bean an Fhir Ruaidh”. Receiving the news today, she wrote: “I’m absolutely over the moon to wake up on a Monday morning to the incredible news of this nomination.
“Mo bhuíochas ó chroí do Brian Danny Minnie Ó Domhnaill a bhí chomh fial flaithiúil an leagan álainn den t-amhrán seo ó Róise na nAmhrán a roinnt liom.
“It was an absolute joy to collaborate with the incomparable Steve Cooney, whose sensitivity to the language and singer, brings a depth to every song he touches.
“And, of course, a huge thank you to Dónal O’Connor, whose skill as a producer and arrangement of songs is second to none with an incredible ability to understand both the singer and the essence of the song.
“Thug sé an t-amhrán seo, agus an t-albam ar fad, go leibhéal eile ar fad.”
