The 2025 IMRO Radio Awards took place on Friday at the Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny, bringing together broadcasters from across Ireland to recognise another standout year in radio.
Hosted by Dermot Whelan, the event celebrated achievements in news, music, sport, current affairs, entertainment and innovation, with winners announced in 42 categories.
Chair of the IMRO Radio Awards committee, Chris Doyle, said the standard this year had been “exceptional”, adding that it was a privilege to celebrate the “talent, passion, and dedication that make our industry so vibrant.”
The ceremony featured the largest number of entries in over a decade, reflecting the continued strength and creativity of radio across Ireland and its vital role in connecting audiences.
The evening also honoured three new inductees to the Hall of Fame – John Bowman (RTÉ), Fr. Brian D’Arcy (BBC Radio Ulster) and Scott Williams (ONIC) – for their outstanding contribution and lifelong dedication to Irish broadcasting.
In addition, RTÉ Radio 1’s Liveline at 40 received this year’s Outstanding Achievement award.
Today FM was named National Station of the Year, while RTÉ Lyric fm took Music Station of the Year and Clare FM won Local Station of the Year.
Midlands 103 claimed Radio Moment of the Year for “My Son Sits in Two Different Coffins”, while Louise Cantillon from Today FM was named Music and Entertainment Presenter of the Year.
In speech categories, Sarah McInerney of RTÉ Radio 1 took Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service, and Joe Nash from Live 95 won the Local/Regional equivalent.
BBC Radio Ulster secured several awards, including A Century of Stories for Music Special, Stephen Nolan for News Broadcaster, and Saturday with John Toal for Magazine Programme.
Among the local and regional winners were Ocean FM, Galway Bay FM, and Radio Kerry, which also celebrated success for Yuliia Riabova, named Newcomer of the Year.
Eleanor McEvoy, Chair of IMRO, highlighted the local roots of radio, saying that when a station reflects its listeners, “something magic happens. People hear themselves in it. They feel seen, and they feel connected.”
She said that connection is what keeps radio distinctive, adding: “If everything starts to sound the same, society loses something vital – the colour, richness, and individuality that makes every city and county unique.”
Coimisiún na Meán Commissioner Aoife MacEvilly praised the work of the sector, noting that since 2023, the body has re-licensed 24 commercial radio broadcasters.
She said €1.5 million has gone to radio stations and €1.6 million to independent radio producers last year, with a further €3 million ringfenced for commercial radio under the current News Reporting Scheme.
Aoife added that upcoming research will examine how radio can continue to serve Irish audiences, with consultation planned as part of a new Broadcasting Services Strategy.
IMRO Radio Awards 2025 – Full List of Winners
A1 General Music Programme
Gold: Ray Foley on Today FM – Today FM
Silver: The Lunchtime Show with Stephen Keogh – Tipp FM
Bronze: Dave Moore on Today FM – Today FM
A2 Specialist Music Programme
Gold: Today FM Soundtracks with Dara Quilty – Today FM
Silver: Peggy’s Dream: Martin Hayes and the National Symphony Orchestra (RTÉ Lyric Live with Paul Herriott) – RTÉ Lyric fm
Bronze: 98FM Dance with Mark McCabe – 98FM
A3 Breakfast Programme
Gold: 98FM’s Big Breakfast with Rebecca & Brendan – 98FM
Silver: Spin’s Fully Charged with Ed and Valerie – Spin South West
Bronze: Lorraine and Ross in the Morning – Cork’s 96FM
A4 Music Special / Music Event
Gold: A Century of Stories – BBC Radio Ulster
Silver: Together We Sing – RTÉ Lyric fm
Bronze: RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards – RTÉ Radio 1
A5 IMRO Irish Music Programme or Initiative
Gold: The All Irish Music Hour on the Nova Guestlist – Radio Nova
Silver: New Moves with Niamh Daly – Radio Kerry
Bronze: Lament for Art O’Leary – RTÉ Radio 1
B1 News Story / News Event
Gold: Justice for Joe – Midlands 103
Silver: Trumptastic: The Return of Donald Trump – Newstalk
Bronze: Vanessa O’Callaghan – Attack on the Streets – 98FM
B2 News Programme – Full Service
Gold: News at One – The Death of Pope Francis – RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Good Morning Ulster, Belfast Riots – BBC Radio Ulster
Bronze: Armagh For Sam, Evening Extra – BBC Radio Ulster
B3 News Programme – Local / Regional
Gold: Ocean FM Lunchtime News – Aftermath of Storm Eowyn – Ocean FM
Silver: Q102 Lunchtime Latest – Dublin’s Q102
Bronze: 2024 Local Election Coverage – Highland Radio
B4 Current Affairs Programme – Full Service
Gold: Drivetime – RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Today with Claire Byrne – RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: The Pat Kenny Show – Newstalk
B5 Current Affairs Programme – Local / Regional
Gold: A Woman’s Worst Nightmare – Live 95
Silver: North West Today – Ocean FM
Bronze: Morning Focus – Clare FM
B6 Sports Story
Gold: The Day We Beat The Dubs – Galway Bay FM
Silver: Sprint for the Line – The Making of Team Ireland’s Athletes – Dublin’s Q102
Bronze: Kellie’s Room – RTÉ Radio 1
B7 Sports Programme – Full Service
Gold: Off The Ball – Newstalk
Silver: Off The Ball Live – Newstalk
Bronze: Jacqui in Paris (Olympic Games 2024) – RTÉ Radio 1
B8 Sports Programme – Local / Regional
Gold: Dublin Sport Today – Dublin’s Q102
Silver: The Final Whistle – Ocean FM
Bronze: Live at Glór – Clare FM
C1 Documentary
Gold: RTÉ Documentary On One – Voice Notes Before Voice Notes – RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Can You Hear Me? Dispatches from the World’s Forgotten War – Newstalk
Bronze: RTÉ Documentary On One – Heart and Soul Horses – RTÉ Radio 1
C2 Music, Arts & Culture Documentary
Gold: Der Musikmann – An Irishman in Cologne (The Lyric Feature) – RTÉ Lyric fm
Silver: The Hazard of the Die – BBC Radio Ulster
Bronze: Shogun Sessions: Irish Music in Japan – RTÉ Lyric fm
C3 Short Feature
Gold: Bird Songs with Seán Ronayne – RTÉ Lyric fm
Silver: Brian O’Connell Reports – RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Heritage Hunters – RTÉ Radio 1
C4 Magazine Programme
Gold: Saturday with John Toal – BBC Radio Ulster
Silver: Moncrieff – Newstalk
Bronze: Countrywide – RTÉ Radio 1
C5 Drama
Gold: Truth, Love or Promise by Nuala McKeever – RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Fragile Maoilíosa by Charlie McGuinness – RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: The Cost of Living – RTÉ Radio 1
C6 Specialist Speech Programme
Gold: Futureproof – Newstalk
Silver: Daddy, What’s a Podcast? – BBC Radio Ulster
Bronze: Language of the Lough – RTÉ Radio 1
C7 Craoltóireacht le Gaeilge
Gold: Blas: Gearóid Ó Cairealláin 1957–2024 – BBC Gaeilge / BBC Radio Ulster
Silver: Barrscéalta – RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Bronze: Spoken Stories Scoilteanna le Colm Ó Snodaigh – RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
C8 Interactive Speech Programme
Gold: Talkabout – The Curious Case of The Dog and the Street Light – Radio Kerry
Silver: Souvenirs – The Neil Prendeville Show – RedFM
Bronze: The Nolan Show – BBC Radio Ulster
C9 Sustainability of the Year
Gold: Feather and Flock – Eagles (The Lyric Feature) – RTÉ Lyric fm
Silver: Our Sustainable Village – RTÉjr Radio
Bronze: Hot Mess – RTÉ 2FM
D1 Community / Social Action
Gold: The Autism School Place Crisis – WLR FM
Silver: The Pat Kenny Show: Losing a Parent to Suicide – Newstalk
Bronze: Cork’s 96FM Radiothon – Cork’s 96FM
D2 On-Air Competition / Promotion
Gold: FM104’s Quid Games with Graham & Nathan – FM104
Silver: Iano’s Sneaky Half Day – Today FM
Bronze: 98FM’s Dead Air – The Glam Reaper – 98FM
D3 Station Imaging
Gold: SPIN 1038 – SPIN 1038
Silver: Radio Nova – Radio Nova
Bronze: 98FM – 98FM
D4 Entertainment Inserts
Gold: Gift Grub on The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show – Today FM
Silver: 2FM DRIVE with Doireann Garrihy – RTÉ 2FM
Bronze: Seriously Addictive Music News – Radio Nova
D5 Digital & Social Innovation
Gold: Q102 It’s My Game – Dublin’s Q102
Silver: FM104’s Quid Games with Graham & Nathan – FM104
Bronze: Dave & Fionnuala Do Your Job – iRadio
D6 Radio Station Podcast of the Year
Gold: Breaking the Silence: Surviving Sexual Assault – Newstalk
Silver: Know Your Constituency – RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Let Me Explain – RTÉ 2FM
E1 Music & Entertainment Presenter of the Year
Gold: Louise Cantillon – Today FM
Silver: Doireann Garrihy – RTÉ 2FM
Bronze: Dave Duke – iRadio
E2 Radio DJ of the Year
Gold: John Creedon – RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Louise Duffy – RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Marty Guilfoyle – 2FM
E3 Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year
Gold: JJ O’Shea – Radio Kerry
Silver: Kieran Hanrahan – RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Mark McCabe – 98FM
E4 News Broadcaster of the Year
Gold: Stephen Nolan – BBC Radio Ulster
Silver: Richard Morgan – BBC Radio Ulster
Bronze: Jonathan Byrne – RTÉ Radio 1
E5 News Reporter of the Year
Gold: Josh Crosbie – Newstalk
Silver: Emma Tyrrell – 98FM
Bronze: Henry McKean – Newstalk
E6 Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
Gold: Eoin Sheahan – Newstalk
Silver: Nathan Murphy – Newstalk
Bronze: John Duggan – Newstalk
E7 Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Local / Regional
Gold: Oisín Kelly – Highland Radio
Silver: Odhrán Johnson – Beat
Bronze: Austin O’Callaghan – BBC Radio Foyle
E8 Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
Gold: Sarah McInerney – RTÉ Radio 1
Silver: Claire Byrne – RTÉ Radio 1
Bronze: Pat Kenny – Newstalk
E9 Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Local / Regional
Gold: Joe Nash – Live 95
Silver: Alan Corcoran – South East Radio
Bronze: Frank Mitchell – U105
E10 The Gay Byrne Award – Newcomer of the Year
Gold: Yuliia Riabova – Radio Kerry
Silver: Courtney Callaghan – Midlands 103
Bronze: Jessica Woodlock – Beat
F1 Radio Moment of the Year
Gold: My Son Sits in Two Different Coffins – Midlands 103
Silver: Sweet Mother of Jesus – Galway Bay FM
Bronze: The Pat Kenny Show: Losing a Parent to Suicide – Newstalk
F2 Local Station of the Year
Gold: Clare FM
Silver: Radio Kerry
Bronze: Galway Bay FM
F3 Music Station of the Year
Gold: RTÉ Lyric fm
Silver: RedFM
Bronze: FM104
F4 National Station of the Year
Gold: Today FM
Silver: Newstalk
Bronze: RTÉ Radio 1
This story first appeared on Radio Today