Dungannon musician nominated for two BBC Radio Two Folk awards

Multi-instrumentalist and singer Jarlath Henderson is nominated for the Best Album award and the Best Traditional Track.

The youngest ever winner of the BBC Young Folk Award, back in 2003, Jarlath said he’s delighted to be nominated for two awards.

The 31-year-old who now resides in Glasgow where he works as a doctor says this latest album Hearts Broken, Heads Turned is more progressive than his previous works.

“To be nominated for both best album and traditional track is great,I’m delighted”, he said. “It’s great to be recognised on that level, to be up there as one of the top five albums for the whole of the UK is brilliant, a nice justification.

“I was really proud of the album and how it was received so it’s just amazing to get this sort of recognition.”

He is best known as a remarkable player of uilleann pipes and whistles, but his debut solo album has turned out to be a revelation, earning glowing reviews from the Guardian. He also plays flute and guitar, and revives traditional songs with no-nonsense, respectful vocals.

“One of the most powerful and inventive folk albums of the year”, was how the Guardian hailed his latest album.

At the tender age of 17, Jarlath scooped 2003’s Radio 2 Young Folk Award, after winning the All-Ireland piping championships three times.