SOUND.WAVES. UNVEILS PROGRAMME FOR THREE DAYS OF
MUSIC, PODCASTING AND LIVE IN ADARE
Tom Dunne meets Dónal Gallagher on opening night,
with the All-Ireland Podcast Awards on Wednesday 11th November
Sound.Waves. opens in style this year. Dónal Gallagher will sit down for a fireside chat with Tom Dunneon Tuesday 10th November in Adare, Co. Limerick.. Dónal is the brother of Rory Gallagher and managed him for most of his career. Tom is Chair of IMRO, a broadcaster and the Something Happens frontman
Rory was Ireland’s original rock star, and Dónal was with him every step of the way, from the Irish showband circuit to 25 tours of North America. He has now told that story in Edged in Blue: A Rock ’n’ Roll Odyssey with Rory Gallagher, published on 25th September with a foreword by Joe Bonamassa. It’s an eyewitness account of a golden age of live music, from bomb-shattered Belfast to Tasmania. Thirty years after Rory’s death, opening night is a rare chance to hear those stories first-hand, from the man who lived them, in conversation with one of Irish music’s best-loved voices.
Wednesday 11 th November kicks off with the inaugural Sound.Waves 5k! The conference day begins at 9.30am with a State of the Nation session taking the temperature of Ireland’s music, podcast and live sectors. From there, the programme gets practical. The Producers go behind the scenes of how great shows are made, and Marketing Your Podcast looks at how they find an audience. The Money Behind The Shows and Sponsorship in Music & Podcasting follow the cash, while The Economics of Live asks what it really costs to put on a show. Elsewhere, sessions on Sports Podcasting, AI & Content Creation, and Music, Sync & Publishing look at where the industry is heading. A Keynote Interview closes the day at 5.15pm, and Stories from the Stage brings the conversation into the bar.
Then it’s time to get dressed up. The All-Ireland Podcast Awards start with a drinks reception at 8pm, and the ceremony crowns the best in Irish podcasting from 9pm. The 2026 shortlist will be announced next week.
On Thursday 12th November the conference moves to the 19 th hole in Adare Village for brunch with Tales from the Frontline of Sports and a look ahead to Adare 2027, when the Ryder Cup comes to town.
For further information about Sound.Waves and the All-Ireland Podcast Awards, please contact:
SOUND.WAVES. and The All-Ireland Podcast Awards 2026 takes place in Limerick from 10 th – 12 th November.
Further programme, speaker and ticket information will be available at www.soundwaves.ie and via @soundwavesirl.
About SOUND. WAVES.: Ireland has often been described as a nation of storytellers and as audience behaviours have evolved creators, presenters and musicians are now brands, and the stories they tell are the currency.
Over two days, SOUND. WAVES. will bring together the innovators and pioneers from the world of content creation to Adare, Co. Limerick, to explore the business of content through the prism of podcasting, sport and music and how they intersect through content, creativity, and commerce.
Sound.Waves. explores how user content can be better created, monetised, and shared across platforms and audiences. placing it at the centre of the conversation, whether it’s a viral podcast, a sync placement, or a fan-first release strategy.
- Conference Tickets https://www.universe.com/events/sound-waves-2026-tickets-MH5FRN
- Ticket & Accommodation package bookings https://secure.woodlands-hotel.ie/convert/site/Fitzgeralds Woodlands House Hotel and Spa/en/index.html Enter the code SOUNDWAVESto access dates and exclusive discounted rates.