Irish Country Magazine is delighted to announce the launch of the new Rising Star Award as part of the Irish Made Awards 2026, proudly supported by Circle Club.
You may have spotted that last month we launched the return of The Irish Made Awards for 2026, proudly supported by Circle Club. With it, we’re looking for makers and creators up and down the country who make a product on the island of Ireland.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we’ve added a new and exciting category to the awards – the Rising Star Award.
New for this year, all entrants to the Irish Made Awards will be invited to nominate a young Irish Made business and to vote for the Rising Star winner. The award is designed to spotlight emerging talent and allow established and growing makers to actively support the next generation of Irish producers.
The Rising Star Award reflects the community spirit at the heart of the Irish Made Awards – encouraging businesses to pay it forward and help ensure a strong future for Irish‑made products. As the awards celebrate a Decade of Storytelling, this new category will focus on young brands with compelling origin stories, strong values, and clear potential for growth.
Speaking about the new category, Acting Editor, Niamh Devereux, said:
“The Rising Star award reflects Irish Country Magazine’s ongoing commitment to supporting and celebrating the next generation of Irish makers and creative entrepreneurs. New for this year, it invites entrants to nominate and vote for an emerging Irish business that is in the early stages of its journey but already demonstrating exceptional promise, innovation and impact. It is designed to shine a light on the fresh talent shaping the future of Irish craft, design and production, and to ensure that as this community grows, we continue to champion those at its very beginning, where so many of Ireland’s most exciting success stories start.”
Enter your business for the 2026 Irish Made Awards before midnight on 29 May, 2026. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Wednesday, 30 September, at The Johnstown Estate, hosted by Muireann O’Connell. For tickets to the awards, click here.
