By Darragh McDonagh

Galway singer-songwriter Adrian Crowley won the Choice Music Award for the Irish Album of the Year during a live event at Dublin’s Vicar Street venue on Wednesday.

He becomes the second performer from Galway to win the award in the space of five years following the success of Athenry’s Julie Feeney at the inaugural presentation in 2005 when she won the award for the album 13 Songs.

The 31-year-old from Barna claimed a €10,000 award on Wednesday after Season of the Sparks was voted the top Irish album of 2009 by a panel of 12 music media professionals.

It was Crowley’s second time to have featured among the nominees for the award and he overcame competition from the likes of Valerie Francis and Codes to emerge victorious with the prestigious award.

The win is sure to raise the profile of the Galway artist who has won critical acclaim since he released his first album 11 years ago but has so far failed to gain much mainstream exposure. Former winners include The Divine Comedy, Jape and indie-electronica group Super Extra Bonus Party.

Local artist Vicki Crowley was at Vicar Street to see her son receive the award and the lucrative prize on Wednesday before returning home to her husband, Don, at Forramoyle in Barna yesterday.

“I am so proud and I am so happy to have been there,” said Vicki. “It was most enjoyable and Adrian sounded absolutely wonderful on the night. I had a feeling that he was going to win and as the presenter was making his speech I had my fists clenched so tight, willing it to happen!”

Adrian was greatly surprised by the announcement and had no acceptance speech prepared as a result.

For more on this story see the Galway City Tribune