As part of a phenomenal talent search, featuring a genre-blending selection of acts from right across the country, we called on you to select a worthy winner for our 2026 A New Local Hero Wildcard Award. You responded in your droves – and now, after a highly competitive public vote, we can reveal that Chris Cresham, representing Midwest Radio, is our Wildcard Award winner!

The news was announced as part of tonight's live A New Local Hero finale event at The Academy in Dublin – which featured performances from the six national finalists, as well as special guest Dave Lofts.

As the Wildcard Award winner, Chris Cresham will receive a €2,500 bursary.

Cresham builds his songs around strong storytelling. The Mayo singer-songwriter has spent recent months between Berlin and London writing and recording with some of the industry’s best talent.

A New Local Hero is one of the key elements of Irish Music Month – an initiative of Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, supported by Coimisiún na Meán. 21 local and regional radio stations submitted their individual New Local Heroes as part of the talent search, which an industry judging panel whittled down to six national finalists.

The stations participating in Irish Music Month are, in alphabetical order: Clare FM, Classic Hits, Cork's 96FM, East Coast FM, FM104, Galway Bay FM, Highland Radio, KCLR, KFM, Limerick Live 95FM, LMFM, Midlands 103, Midwest Radio, Northern Sound, Ocean FM, Radio Kerry, Radio Nova, Shannonside FM, South East Radio, Sunshine FM, Tipp FM, and WLR FM.