... Adrian Crowley, for his album 'Season of the Sparks'.
The Galway native beat down competition from Bell X1, Laura Izibor, The Swell Season, The Duckworth Lewis Method, Julie Feeney, Valerie Francis, Codes, And So I Watch You From Afar and Dark Room Notes, to win the award for best Irish album of 2009. Crowley has had a big year, recently signing to Scottish label Chemikal Underground, home to Mogwai, The Delgados, and Malcolm Middleton.
Seeming genuinely surprised and flustered by his win, accepting the award Crowley gave a short speech, thanking his bandmates for playing with him, and the Choice Prize organisers for helping to support all the great music that our "little country" has to offer.
For full coverage of the Choice Music Prize live event click here. For all the performance photos from last night (and the odd social shot - namely of Glen Hansard looking beardy) do pay Caught Out a visit.
Previous winners of the Choice Music Prize are:
Irish Album of the Year 2005: Julie Feeney - 13 Songs
Irish Album of the Year 2006: The Divine Comedy - Victory For The Comic Muse
Irish Album of the Year 2007: Super Extra Bonus Party - Super Extra Bonus Party
Irish Album of the Year 2008: Jape - Ritual
