Shimmer Boy wins A New Local Hero talent competition

Shimmer Boy, the music project of west Cork indie-folk artist Aaron O’Sullivan, has been named the winner of the 2026 A New Local Hero talent search. The grand finale, held at The Academy in Dublin, featured performances from six national finalists representing various Irish radio stations.

As the winner, Shimmer Boy receives €5,000 in prize money and a professional recording package. This includes recording a single at Camden Recording Studios with producer Cian Boylan, mixing and mastering by Grammy Award-winner Ruadhri Cushnan, and a release through the Rubyworks record label.

Other finalists included Groev, Rebecca Lane, RunTheRed, Sitting Room, and WineMom. Additionally, Chris Cresham from Mayo was named the Wildcard Award winner, receiving a €2,500 bursary.