Dolores Keane is to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at this year’s RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards.
The awards ceremony will take place at Vicar Street in Dublin on Tuesday 10 November, with the event broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1 from 8pm and on the RTÉ Listen App.
Keane, who died in March this year, was one of the defining voices of Irish folk and traditional music.
She grew up in Caherlistrane, Co Galway, immersed in the sean-nós tradition, and made her first recording for Radio Éireann at the age of five.
Keane (top right) pictured with De Danann
She co-founded the seminal traditional group De Danann in 1975. The group achieved national and international success during a period of renewed interest in Irish folk and traditional music, releasing classic albums including The Rambling Irishman, Anthem and Ballroom.
Keane released her debut solo album, There Was a Maid, in 1978. She gained further popularity in the early 1990s with the albums Dolores Keane and A Lion in a Cage, and also featured on A Woman’s Heart, a collection that became the biggest-selling album in Irish history.
Among the songs best associated with Keane are Caledonia and Galway Bay.
The Hall of Fame award recognises a person who is no longer living and who made a significant contribution to Irish folk music during their lifetime.
Previous recipients include Róise Rua, Séamus Ennis, Paddy Moloney and Sarah Makem.
The RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards are an annual celebration of the very best in folk music in Ireland from the past year.
Hosted by RTÉ’s John Creedon, a highlights programme will be broadcast on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Saturday 14 November.
The shortlist of nominees in each category will be announced next week.
Tickets for the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards ceremony at Vicar Street, Dublin on Tuesday 10 November are on sale now – find out more here