LAST UPDATE | 6 Mar 2025

DUBLIN ROCK BAND Fontaines DC has won the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year 2024 for their album Romance.

Neil Hannon, a previous winner of the prize, made the announcement in Vicar St after the judging panel, made up of Irish music media professionals, decided on the winners.

Fontaines DC, fronted by 29-year-old Grian Chatten, will receive a cheque for €10,000, a prize which has been provided by the Irish Music Rights Organisation (IMRO) and the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA).

Romance is Fontaines DC’s fourth album and carried singles including Starburster, Favourite and Here’s the Thing.

Róisín El Cherif – an Irish Palestinian artist from Galway – collected the award as the band are currently on tour and paid tribute to Palestinians amid the conflict in Gaza.

“The guys can’t be here because they’re on tour in Australia,” El Cherif said.

“So they kindly asked me, would I collect for them if they won and also, would I say ‘Free Palestine’,” she added to cheers from the crowd.

Cork youngsters Kabin Crew picked up the Irish Song of the Year for their viral hit The Spark f.

Belfast rapper Jordan Adetunji also won Irish Artist of the Year and KNEECAP won for Irish Breakthrough Artist.

It’s the 20th anniversary of the prize, which celebrates the best in Irish recorded music.

The event, which was broadcast on RTÉ2FM and hosted by Tracy Clifford and Beta Da Silva, took place live in Vicar St, featuring performances from many of the nominated artists.

You can have a listen to all the nominees for Best Album here.