Lord Mayor McAdam launches Dublin City Council Luke Kelly Bursary 2026 Launched

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam has announced the Dublin City Council Luke Kelly Bursary 2026, a brand-new initiative to spotlight and support the next generation of singers in the Irish folk tradition.

Developed as part of the Dublin City Council Luke Kelly Festival, which returns to Smithfield Square, Dublin on May 23 and 24, the bursary places emerging talent front and centre at the capital’s biggest celebration of the legendary Dubliner, who paved the way for generations of Irish artists.

At its heart, The Dublin City Council Luke Kelly Bursary is a platform for new voices which reflect the musical legacy that Luke Kelly defined – singers who understand the weight of a lyric, the power of a stripped-back performance, and the ability of a single voice to hold a crowd.

Welcoming the launch of the bursary, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam, said, ” Luke Kelly was one of Dublin’s greatest voices, and it is fitting that our city continues to honour his legacy by backing new and emerging talent in Irish folk music. As Lord Mayor of Dublin, and as a City Councillor for the North Inner City where Luke grew up and where members of his family still reside, I know the pride that his name still inspires in communities across our capital. This bursary reflects the very best of my mayoral theme of Celebrating Dublin by paying tribute to our cultural inheritance while giving a platform to the next generation of artists who will keep that tradition alive.”

Open to singers of all ages, Dublin City Council Luke Kelly Bursary submissions will be considered across two categories – under 30s and over 30s – with entrants under 18 requiring parental or guardian permission. Six recipients will be selected in total.

Each bursary includes €1,000, dedicated mentorship time with acclaimed Irish folk artist George Murphy, and a performance slot at the Dublin City Council Luke Kelly Festival in May. The six selected artists will perform three songs live on the Main Stage at the festival, placing emerging voices directly in front of a city-wide audience.

Singers will be invited to upload a one song video performance for consideration. All submissions will be viewed by leading figures in the Irish music industry, members of the Kelly family and Dublin City Council, who together will choose six standout performers to receive the bursary, which is sponsored by Dublin City Council.

For more information and details on how to upload video submissions see lukekellybursary.ie. Submissions will open on Friday April 17 and close on Sunday May 3 at midnight.

Running Saturday May 23 and Sunday May 24, the Dublin City Council Luke Kelly Festival will once again transform Smithfield Square into a dynamic gathering point for live music, performance and community, a space where both established and emerging artists will come together in song and story, and where Dublin’s musical identity is both honoured and reimagined. Details of the festival, which is free for all, will be announced shortly.