Two of the acts set to perform at Aiteall – West Cork Music’s singer-songwriter festival in Bantry this October bank holiday weekend – have been nominated for the 2026 RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards.
Leevy is a nominee in the Best Emerging Artist category. Grown from the boggy outcrop of the Muskerry Gaeltacht, not far from us here in Bantry, the group has built its reputation through relentless gigging and word of mouth. At Leevy’s unforgettable live shows, laughter, introspection, dancing, and crying all go hand in hand.
In the Best Folk Group category, Lemoncello goes up against An Chéad Ghlúin Eile, Beoga, Poor Creature, and Ye Vagabonds. The duo’s personal style of storytelling has folk-soaked roots. And their live performances and recordings shimmer with the tones of modern Ireland.
Lemoncello’s reflections on the modern tension between togetherness and alienation are as intimate as they are devastating.
The results of the RTÉ Folk Awards will be announced on Tuesday 10 November 2026.
In the meantime, catch both nominees in the atmospheric setting of St Brendan’s Church, Bantry, at Aiteall – an intriguing weekend where we’ll explore the roots and directions of today’s Irish singer-songwriting scene.
About Aiteall
Aiteall (23-25 October 2026) is a West Cork Music Festival celebrating contemporary Irish singer-songwriters. Gigs by Leevy and Lemoncello are part of its eclectic and intriguing programme which features gigs, pop-up performances, singing workshops, a record fair, and more.
Aiteall is the Irish word for sunshine between showers. Each of the local, emerging, and established singer-songwriters featured over the weekend has their own unique take on how to create that sunshine. Some root their craft in sean-nós and traditional song. Others are weaving in folk, jazz, electronica, and ambient sounds to take those traditions in new directions.
Book now online. Or, to book by phone, call the West Cork Music office on +353 (0) 27 52788.
Day passes and student passes available.
