Newmarket musician Eoin O’Driscoll has been named Male Young Musician of the Year at the 2026 Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival, earning recognition for his talent in traditional Irish music.
Eoin will perform at the festival’s Sliabh Luachra Concert in Castleisland on Saturday, 24 October, sharing the stage with acclaimed accordion player Bryan O’Leary.
Fellow Cork musician Mikaela Ní Mhurchú, from Turner’s Cross, has been named Female Young Musician of the Year. She will perform alongside renowned fiddle player Matt Cranitch at the same concert.
Introduced in 2021, the Young Musician of the Year awards celebrate emerging talent in traditional music and give young performers an opportunity to take part in the festival.
Previous recipients include Megan McGinley, who recently starred alongside Aidan Gillen in the film Trad, and Simon Crehan of Peter Street fame.
Festival chairperson Conor O’Mahony said the awards were established to recognise outstanding young musicians and give them the opportunity to become part of the festival.
He said the organisers were delighted to recognise Eoin and Mikaela this year, highlighting the opportunity for both musicians to perform alongside established artists and experience the festival’s tradition of bringing different generations together.
The announcement comes ahead of the 34th Patrick O’Keeffe Traditional Music Festival, which takes place in Castleisland from Thursday, 22 October, to Monday, 26 October.
This year’s festival will feature more than 200 professional musicians and over 130 live traditional music sessions, alongside concerts, workshops, recitals, singing sessions and céilithe.
Headline performers include Dervish, Noel Hill, Pauline Scanlon, Jackie Daly and Matt Cranitch.
The full programme and ticket details are available at patrickokeeffefestival.com.