Athy Band 'Sitting Room' Reach Irish Music Month National Finale

Monday, 12 October 2026 14:34

By Daniel Maher

Sittim Room, Emily and Aoife Mulhall from Athy and Ava Somers from Carlow

They will perform live at The Academy, Dublin, on Wednesday, 28 October

Kildare/Carlow band Sitting Room have been announced as one of six finalists for the national finale of A New Local Hero 2026.

Chosen by Kfm as part of Irish Music Month, the three-piece group, made up of sisters Aoife and Emily Mulhall from Athy and Ava Somers from Carlow, have now reached the final, which will take place at The Academy, Dublin, on Wednesday, 28 October.

The finalists will perform live, for the chance to be crowned the winner and secure a prize package worth an estimated €20,000.

This includes €5,000 in cash, the opportunity to record a single at the prestigious Camden Recording Studios in Dublin, have it mixed and mastered by the Grammy Award winning Spéir Mix & Master and its release through acclaimed Irish independent record label Rubyworks – the label that discovered Hozier.

It follows an extensive nationwide talent search led by Hot Press and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI) – with all of 21 local and regional radio stations participating – an industry judging panel has selected six acts from a shortlist of 21 regional Local Heroes to take to the stage for a special live showcase.

The six national finalists, listed alphabetically, are:

Groev – Galway Bay FM
Rebecca Lane – FM104
RunTheRed – LMFM
Shimmer Boy – Cork's 96FM
Sitting Room – Kfm
WineMom – Radio Nova