A Meteor Ireland Music Award was an accolade bestowed upon professionals in the music industry in Ireland and further afield. They had been bestowed each year since 2001, replacing the IRMA Ireland Music Awards held in the 1990s. Promoted by MCD Productions, the ceremony at which these accolades were bestowed upon worthy recipients was referred to colloquially as The Meteors, though occasionally also by its full title.

Event organisers confirmed in January 2011 that there would be no awards ceremony that year, with Meteor's cancellation of its sponsorship of the event widely blamed for this abrupt occurrence.

History

Example of a Meteor Award

The Meteor Ireland Music Awards were the equivalent to the Canadian Juno Awards, the American Grammy Awards, the Echo Awards in Germany, and the United Kingdom's BRIT Awards. The awards take their name from their sponsors, Meteor.

Each year there was a mix of live performances and award presentations at a ceremony conducted in the Point Theatre, Dublin (2001–2007) and the Royal Dublin Society's Simmonscourt, Dublin (2008–2010). Irish artists to have showcased their music included Snow Patrol, Sinéad O'Connor, Declan O'Rourke, U2, Bell X1, Aslan, Westlife, the Blizzards, the Frames, the Coronas, Director, Hothouse Flowers, Cathy Davey, the Devlins, the Thrills, Paddy Casey, and the Immediate, whilst previous live performances by international artists have included the Pussycat Dolls, Amy Winehouse, Sugababes, Counting Crows, the Darkness, Kaiser Chiefs, Lionel Richie, and Tom Jones.

Presenters included both Irish and international figures from music, sport, film, television, and beauty: Joe Elliott, Denis Hickie, Colin Farrell, Alex Zane, and Rosanna Davison. The award ceremony was hosted by a number of different personalities throughout its history: Ed Byrne, Patrick Kielty, Amanda Byram, Podge and Rodge alongside Deirdre O'Kane, and Dara Ó Briain.

Originally held in the Point Theatre in Dublin, in 2008 the award ceremony moved to the RDS Simmonscourt of the Royal Dublin Society until its cancellation in 2011.

Recipients by year

A list of winners is to be found on the Meteor website.

Irish awards

YearMaleFemaleBandAlbumLive PerformancePop ActNew ActLifetime AchievementIndustry
2001Ronan KeatingSharon ShannonU2All That You Can't Leave BehindU2WestlifeJJ72Christy MooreLouis Walsh
2002David KittSamantha MumbaU2All That You Can't Leave Behind—N/aWestlifeThe RevsPaul McGuinness—N/a
2003MundyCarly HennessyU2Skylarkin'—N/aWestlifeThe ThrillsBob GeldofPhil Coulter
2004Paddy CaseyCara DillonThe FramesSo Much for the City—N/aWestlifeFuture Kings of SpainThe DublinersDave Fanning
2005Paddy CaseyJuliet TurnerSnow PatrolFinal Straw—N/aWestlifeThe ChaletsAslanJohn Hughes
2006Damien DempseyGemma HayesU2How to Dismantle an Atomic BombU2WestlifeHumanziThe PoguesBill Whelan
2007Damien DempseyLuan ParleSnow PatrolEyes OpenSnow PatrolWestlifeDirectorClannadLarry Gogan
2008Duke SpecialCathy DaveyAslanAddicted to CompanyThe BlizzardsWestlife—N/aThe Saw DoctorsJim Aiken
2009Mick FlanneryImelda MayThe ScriptThe ScriptThe BlizzardsWestlife—N/aSharon ShannonNiall Stokes
2010Christy MooreWallis BirdSnow PatrolTony Was An Ex-ConThe ScriptWestlifeAmasisBrian KennedyHenry Mountcharles

International awards

YearMaleFemaleBandAlbumLive Performance
2001David GrayWhitney Houston—N/aWhite Ladder—N/a
2002Robbie WilliamsDidoStereophonicsIs This ItRed Hot Chili Peppers
2003EminemAvril LavigneColdplayBy the WayRed Hot Chili Peppers
2004Justin TimberlakeBeyoncéThe DarknessElephantRed Hot Chili Peppers
2005MorrisseyPJ HarveyFranz FerdinandFranz FerdinandThe Killers
2006Kanye WestGwen StefaniKaiser ChiefsEmployment—N/a
2007Justin TimberlakeLily AllenScissor SistersWhatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not—N/a
2008Bruce SpringsteenAmy WinehouseArcade FireNeon BibleMuse
2009James MorrisonDuffyElbowOnly by the NightLeonard Cohen
2010Michael BubléLady GagaFlorence and the MachineSunny Side UpLeonard Cohen

Award ceremonies by year

CeremonyDateVenueBroadcast dateHost
200118 MarchPoint Theatre, Dublin20 MarchEd Byrne
20024 MarchPoint Theatre, Dublin6 MarchPatrick Kielty
20033 MarchPoint Theatre, Dublin5 MarchDara Ó Briain
20041 MarchPoint Theatre, Dublin3 March, 21:00Dara Ó Briain
200524 FebruaryPoint Theatre, Dublin27 FebruaryEd Byrne
20062 FebruaryPoint Theatre, Dublin5 February, 21:00Patrick Kielty
20071 FebruaryPoint Theatre, Dublin4 February, 21:00Deirdre O'Kane and Podge and Rodge
200815 FebruaryRDS Simmonscourt, Dublin16 February, 21:00Dara Ó Briain
200917 MarchRDS Simmonscourt, Dublin18 March, 21:00Amanda Byram
201019 FebruaryRDS Simmonscourt, Dublin21 February, 21.00Amanda Byram

External links