Some of Ireland's finest musicians treated a packed Vicar St to a legendary show on Thursday evening. While O Emperor took home the top prize for their final album Jason, all the nominees present gave top rate performances on the night - proving that the fate of Irish music is in very capable hands.

One of the greatest features of the evening was its diversity in sound. From Just Mustard and Wyvern Lingo's fantastic, high-energy performances, to Villagers and Lisa O'Neill's stunning sets that wowed the crowd into perfect silence, there was no denying the staggering, genre-defying talent on offer in the country right now.

O Emperor, who announced their retirement with their latest album, kicked off proceedings. It was a bittersweet moment knowing that this was their final send-off, but the Waterford group certainly bowed out in style.

Lisa O'Neill, performing tracks from her Heard A Long Gone Song album, was another highlight - treating the rapt crowd to an incredible showcase of her powerful and unique voice.

The talented Bray trio Wyvern Lingo also gave it their all, and had the whole crowd bopping along with their smash hit, 'I Love You, Sadie'. This was followed by an enthusiastic set from Delorentos, the most-nominated act of the night. Just Mustard, meanwhile, supplied plenty of hell-raising, youthful energy, following a moving set from Saint Sister.

Villagers, nominated for The Art of Pretending to Swim, offered up a breathtaking acoustic performance, with Conor O'Brien's vocals stunning the packed venue into complete silence - which was soon shattered by a high-energy display from The Academic.

Hot off the success of his sold out Whelan's show, Kojaque rounded off the night with a selection of tracks from Deli Daydreams - with the crowd shouting back every lyric. With the help of Kean Kavanagh and Luka Palm, the Cabra rapper left no doubts about the vitality of Irish hip-hop.

Through the originality of their sound and vision, each act brought something unique to what was ultimately a very special evening for Irish music.