In memory of Michael O'Riordan, the current MPAI Board has instituted the Michael O'Riordan Bursary awards. This grant is aimed at those young up & coming music professionals who have shown an exceptional interest and ability in the area of Music Publishing. A Best in Class, so to speak. It is hoped to make these awards on an annual basis within the music publishing community.

"The overall purpose of each Michael O Riordan Bursary awards is to help equip a young industry professional to fulfil their potential within our industry. The bursaries will enable the winners to fund training to support their career ambitions," the MPAI said in a statement.

The MPAI will invite MPAI members to nominate rising stars from within our publishing community. A selection panel will choose 2 winners based on (i) their proven determination to pursue a career in music publishing and (ii) the quality of their contributions to date.

Each winner will be awarded 500 euros of funding for approved music publishing training events chosen by the winners. These can include MPA UK NXT-Gen membership, online courses, and events.

In addition, for the runners-up, 5 Nxt-Gen memberships will be awarded.

The call for nominations will go out on 1 December. The closing date for nominations will be 31 December 2020. Nominations should be e-mailed to the MPAI Secretary and the selection panel will convene and announce the 2021 winners by 31 January. The winners will be invited to an MPAI Board meeting to be congratulated and presented with their prizes.

"In conducting the selection process, the MPAI affirms its commitment to diversity and inclusiveness," the statement continues. "All members (including new additions to our community) will be entitled to nominate rising stars provided their membership subscriptions are paid before 31 December.

"The hope is that these awards will provide a timely form of support for some outstanding younger members of the music publishing community this year, when they might otherwise struggle to fund training during the Covid crisis."

The Republic of Ireland Music Publishers Association of Ireland (RIMPA) was founded in 1975. Michael O'Riordan, a Cork native, was one of the founding Directors of RIMPA. Later, the Association changed its name to The Music Publishers Association of Ireland (MPAI)

Michael passed in November 2019, having spent most of his life working in the music business from starting as a ‘road’ manager’ for the Dixies Showband in the 1960’s, to being one of the management people behind the success of Daniel O Donnell, forming Rosette Music as the publishing vehicle for Daniel in later years.