IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards
The IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards are annual awards which are presented by the Irish Music Rights Organisation in conjunction with Hot Press and MUZU TV. The awards were first given in 2008.
Format
IMRO's members select their three favourite music venues in Ireland. 400 venues are said to be eligible for the awards and included are theatres and public houses. The winning venues are then shortlisted for the IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards. The Hot Press Readers Award for Best Live Music Venue is voted on by the public on the magazine's website. Several factors determine the winners: these include "ambience, staging, sound and lighting, programming, staff and promotion".:History
2008
The winning venues were announced during The Music Show at the RDS in Dublin.Shortlist
The nominations by region with the winners in bold:| Dublin | Rest of Leinster | Munster | Connacht | Ulster |
| Olympia Theatre Tripod Vicar Street Whelan's The Button Factory | The Stables, Mullingar Birr Theatre and Arts Centre Spirit Store, Dundalk McHugh's of Drogheda The Mermaid Theatre, Bray | INEC, Killarney The Forum, Waterford Cyprus Avenue, Cork Cork Opera House Glór Theatre, Ennis | The Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo McGarrigle's, Sligo Róisín Dubh, Galway The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon The Station House Theatre, Galway | The Iontas Theatre, Castleblayney An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny Chasin' Bull, Bundoran McGrory's, Culdaff The Brewery, Monaghan |
Hot Press awards went to Cyprus Avenue, Cork, The Stables, Mullingar and Vicar Street, Dublin. Vicar Street received an award for Overall National Winner.
2009
The 2009 IMRO Live Music Venue of the Year Awards were launched by Danny O'Reilly of The Coronas and Julie Feeney on 21 October. The awards ceremony occurred on 1 December, at IMRO HQ in Dublin.Shortlist
The nominations by region with the winners in bold:LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR AWARDS 13/1/2010">| Dublin | Rest of Leinster | Munster | Connacht | Ulster |
| Crawdaddy Olympia Theatre The O2 Vicar Street Whelan's | The Backroom, Navan The Late Lounge, Kill Set Theatre, Kilkenny Spirit Store, Dundalk The Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny | Cyprus Avenue, Cork Dolan's Warehouse, Limerick The Everyman Theatre, Cork INEC, Killarney The Pavilion, Cork | Campbell's Tavern, Headford Crane Bar, Galway Róisín Dubh, Galway Royal Theatre & Event Centre, Castlebar Town Hall Theatre, Galway | Balor Arts Centre An Grianan, Letterkenny Iontas, Castleblayney McGrory's, Culdaff Ramor Theatre, Cavan |
The Hot Press award went to Cyprus Avenue in Cork.MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR AWARDS 13/1/2010"/>