This is a summary of the year 2006 in the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

music industry.

Summary

January

* January 4 saw the 20th anniversary of the death of Phil Lynott, lead vocalist of legendary Irish

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or som ...

February

* U2 dominated the

2006 Meteor Awards The 2006 Meteor Music Awards took place in the Point Theatre, Dublin on 2 February 2006. It was the sixth edition of Ireland's national music awards. The event was later aired on RTÉ Two on at 21:00 on Sunday 5 February. The awards show was hosted ...

held on February 2, winning three awards; Best Irish Band, Best Irish Album (for

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' is the eleventh studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was released on 22 November 2004 in the United Kingdom by Island Records and a day later in the United States by Interscope Records. Much like their pr ...

) and Best Live Performance (for their Croke Park gigs as part of their

Vertigo Tour The Vertigo Tour was a worldwide concert tour by the Irish rock band U2. Staged in support of the group's 2004 album '' How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'', the tour visited arenas and stadiums between March 2005 and December 2006. The Vertigo To ...

in 2005). * February 20 saw the official announcement of the first acts that would perform at Oxegen 2006. These included

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...

The Strokes The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of lead singer and songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Mor ...

Arctic Monkeys Arctic Monkeys are an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 2002. The group consists of Alex Turner (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Jamie Cook (guitar, keyboards), Nick O'Malley (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Matt Helders (drums, ...

Franz Ferdinand Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of World War I. Fr ...

and

Kaiser Chiefs Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 2000 as Parva, releasing one studio album, ''22'', in 2003, before renaming and establishing themselves in their current name that same year. Since their formation the band h ...

. * The first annual Choice Music Prize was awarded to

Julie Feeney Julie Feeney is a singer-songwriter, composer, actress, and record producer from Galway, Ireland. She produces and orchestrates her own work, composing both instrumental and electronic music, with full orchestrations. She is a three-time nomi ...

's album '' 13 Songs'' at

Vicar Street Vicar Street is a concert, performing arts centre and events venue in Dublin, Ireland. Located on Thomas Street, Dublin 8, Vicar Street has capacity for 1,050 people for seated performances and 1,500 people for standing gigs. The venue is own ...

on February 28, 2006.

March

* American singer-songwriter,

Josh Ritter Josh Ritter (born October 21, 1976) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and author who performs and records with the Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006, he was named one of ...

, popular with Irish audiences, collapsed whilst performing on stage at

An Grianán Theatre An Grianán Theatre ( ga, Amharclann an Ghrianáin) is the largest theatre in County Donegal. Located in Letterkenny's Port Road district, its current director is Patricia McBride. With a seating capacity of 383, the theatre provides a range of p ...

Letterkenny Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R ...

on March 7. Fears that he would be unable to complete his Irish tour proved unfounded and Ritter returned to finish his Letterkenny show on September 4, playing a second gig there the following night. Later (Thursday September 6, 2007), whilst appearing on

Rick O'Shea Paul Crossan (born 7 May 1973, also known as Rick O'Shea) is an Irish radio personality. He was born in Drimnagh, Dublin 12, grew up in Crumlin, and attended Drimnagh Castle Secondary School and later UCD. He has been a presenter on RTÉ 2fm ...

's show on 2fm, he commented: ''"If there's one thing I've learned it's to not eat Chinese food in Letterkenny."''

May

* On May 1, Snow Patrol's internationally anticipated fourth album '' Eyes Open'' was released. It spawned a number of hits including "

Chasing Cars "Chasing Cars" is a song by Northern Irish-Scottish alternative rock band Snow Patrol. It was released as the second single from their fourth studio album, ''Eyes Open'' (2006). It was released on 6 June 2006, in the United States and 24 July ...

", which gained significant popularity in the United States after being featured on the popular medical drama ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into s ...

''. * On Friday May 26, it was confirmed by

Slane Castle Slane Castle (Irish ''Cáisleán Bhaile Shláine'') is located in the village of Slane, within the Boyne Valley of County Meath, Ireland. The castle has been the family seat of the Conyngham family since it was built in the late 18th century, on ...

and music promoters MCD that no concert would take place at the venue this year as a suitable act could not be found. It was the first time since the mid-1990s that it has not taken place in consecutive years, with Eminem having pulled out in 2005. Lord Henry Mountcharles had targeted American

group Green Day as his preferred headline act, but the

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

n band were not touring in 2006. He had this to say: ''"There was no big band that could do it. The acts are not available."''

June

* On Friday June 9, Guns N' Roses made their first Irish appearance since May 1992, when they played the

RDS Arena RDS Arena is a multi-purpose sports stadium, owned by the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) and located in the Dublin suburb of Ballsbridge, Ireland. The arena was developed to host equestrian events, primarily the annual Dublin Horse Show, which was ...

with support from Mötley Crüe.

July

* Oxegen 2006 got under way on the weekend of Saturday July 8 and Sunday July 9 and was memorable for hosting

's first Irish performance in 35 years, the Irish debut of

, James Brown's final Irish festival performance whilst alive and the

fourth performance in Ireland in five summers.

August

* This was the month that saw the addition of a brand new festival to the Irish music spectrum. On Saturday August 5 and Sunday August 6 Hi:Fi Ireland took place in Belvedere House, near County Mullingar in

Westmeath "Noble above nobility" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = , subdivis ...

. It was headlined by

Razorlight Razorlight are an English indie rock band, formed in 2002 in London by lead singer and guitarist Johnny Borrell. Along with Borrell, the current line-up of the band is composed of founding members Björn Ågren on guitar and bassist Carl Delemo ...

The Streets The Streets are an English music project led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner. The project has released six studio albums: ''Original Pirate Material'' (2002), '' A Grand Don't Come for Free'' (2004), '' The Hardest Way to ...

, The Prodigy, Ian Brown,

Mylo Myles MacInnes (born 10 May 1978), better known by his stage name Mylo, is a Scottish electronic musician and record producer. His 2004 album '' Destroy Rock & Roll'' peaked at number 26 in the UK Albums Chart. He is best known for his 2005 si ...

Paul Oakenfold Paul Mark Oakenfold (born 30 August 1963), formerly known mononymously as Oakenfold, is an English record producer, remixer and trance DJ. He has provided over 100 remixes for over 100 artists including U2, Moby, Madonna, Britney Spears, Mas ...

and

Audio Bullys Audio Bullys are an English electronic music project, originally consisting of Simon Franks and Tom Dinsdale. The group were once managed by the DJ and presenter George Lamb. Franks and Dinsdale released their debut album ''Ego War'' in 2003, ...

. * On the same weekend, Indie-pendence 06 took place in New Square in

Mitchelstown Mitchelstown () is a town in County Cork, Ireland with a population of approximately 3,740. Mitchelstown is situated in the valley to the south of the Galtee Mountains, 12 km south-west of the Mitchelstown Caves, 28 km from Cahir, 50 ...

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...

. It was a two-day affair, headlined by

The Proclaimers ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

, The Sultans Of Ping FC and

The Frank and Walters The Frank and Walters are an alternative pop band from Cork city in Ireland. The band was founded in 1989 and named in honour of two eccentric Cork characters. Members The original band line-up included Paul Linehan (vocalist and bassist), his ...

. Wicklow-based electronica group Hybrasil also played at the festival. * Forfey Festival in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

had its first outing, in Enniskillen over 24–26 August. Featured Irish acts included

Foy Vance Foy Vance (born 1974) is a musician and singer-songwriter from Northern Ireland signed to Ed Sheeran's Gingerbread Man label. Vance has toured as a support act to British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and his music has been featured on numerous ...

, Sixstarhotel, Mojo Fury and We Are Knives. * August also saw a host of concerts staged in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...

Marlay Park Marlay Park () is an suburban public park located in Rathfarnham in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Ireland. Lying about nine kilometres (5.5 miles) from Dublin city centre, the parkland comprises woodlands, ponds and walks. Recreational spaces inc ...

as part of the second year of Bud Rising's summer shows; Radiohead, Snow Patrol, Morrissey, Daft Punk, Faithless with special guests

Kasabian Kasabian ( ) are an English rock band formed in Leicester in 1997 by lead vocalist Tom Meighan, guitarist and occasional vocalist Sergio Pizzorno, guitarist Chris Karloff, and bassist Chris Edwards. Drummer Ian Matthews joined in 2004. Karl ...

(Thursday August 17),

The Dandy Warhols The Dandy Warhols are an American alternative rock band, formed in Portland, Oregon, in 1994 by singer-guitarist Courtney Taylor-Taylor and guitarist Peter Holmström. They were later joined by keyboardist Zia McCabe and drummer Eric Hedford. H ...

The Magic Numbers The Magic Numbers are an English pop rock band consisting of two brother-and-sister pairs, from Hanwell in west London. The group was formed in 2002, releasing their debut album titled '' The Magic Numbers'' on 13 June 2005. Their follow-up al ...

and Beck were among the performers.

September

* On Friday September 1, the newly extended three-day

Electric Picnic Electric Picnic is an annual arts-and-music festival which has been staged since 2004 at Stradbally Hall in Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland. It is organised by Pod Concerts and Festival Republic, who purchased the majority shareholding in ...

got under way in

Stradbally Stradbally () is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located in the midlands of Ireland along the N80 road, a National Secondary Route, about from Portlaoise. It is a townland, a civil parish and historic barony. It is known for its "Steam Ra ...

, County Laois. The festival was as usual broadcast on

RTÉ 2fm (RTÉ) (; Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, whil ...

but for the first time ever it was also broadcast on RTÉ television, where a large part of the Saturday and Sunday schedule of

RTÉ Two (RTÉ) (; Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the national broadcaster of Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, while ...

was taken up by the coverage, presented by

Tom Dunne Thomas Dunne is an Irish radio broadcaster with Newstalk, and a singer/songwriter with the band Something Happens. Prior to joining Newstalk, Dunne worked on Today FM, presenting his very successful and hugely popular radio program, "Pet Sou ...

and Jenny Huston.

October

* The inaugural Heinken Green Synergy Festival took place from October 4–8 in various clubs, bars and venues in Dublin City Centre. Performing acts included

The Sunshine Underground The Sunshine Underground (often shortened to TSU) were an English alternative dance band based in Leeds, England. Their style developed from indie, alternative to electronic music, and they released four full-length albums; '' Raise the Ala ...

, Giveamanakick,

Ghostface Killah Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 C ...

, Messiah J & The Expert, as well as The Fall,

Fujiya & Miyagi Fujiya & Miyagi is a British group formed in Brighton, East Sussex, England, in 2000. The current line-up consists of David Best (vocals and guitar), Stephen Lewis (synths and vocals), Ed Chivers (drums), Ben Adamo and Ben Farestuedt (bass an ...

The Congos The Congos are a reggae vocal group from Jamaica which formed as the duo "Ashanti" Roy Johnson (tenor) (b. Roydel Johnson, 1947, Hanover, Jamaica) and Cedric Myton (falsetto) (b. 1947, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica), later becoming a trio w ...

and

Nouvelle Vague French New Wave (french: La Nouvelle Vague) is a French art film movement that emerged in the late 1950s. The movement was characterized by its rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions in favor of experimentation and a spirit of iconocla ...

November

* On Friday November 3, a group of largely Irish musical artists release an album The Cake Sale for the charity Oxfam and the Ireland Make Trade Fair campaign. They were formed by Brian Crosby of

Bell X1 The Bell X-1 (Bell Model 44) is a rocket engine–powered aircraft, designated originally as the XS-1, and was a joint National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics– U.S. Army Air Forces–U.S. Air Force supersonic research project built by Be ...

, and other contributing artists included Crosby's bandmates

Paul Noonan Paul Anthony Noonan is a songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from Lucan, County Dublin. He is best known as the frontman of the Irish group Bell X1 and as a solo artist and collaborator on various musical projects. Early years Born i ...

and

David Geraghty David Geraghty (born 30 September 1975) is an Irish multi-instrumentalist, composer and songwriter. He is a founding member of Bell X1, and since 2014 has been performing under the moniker Join Me in the Pines. In 1994 he joined the group Ju ...

Glen Hansard Glen Hansard (born 21 April 1970) is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and actor. Since 1990, he has been the frontman of the Irish rock band The Frames, with whom he has released six studio albums, four of which have charted in the top te ...

The Frames The Frames are an Irish rock band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six studio albums. In addition to Hansard, the band's current line-up inc ...

Damien Rice Damien George Rice (born 7 December 1973) is an Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He began his career as a member of the 1990s rock group Juniper, who were signed to Polygram Records in 1997. The band enjoyed moderate success ...

Lisa Hannigan Lisa Margaret Hannigan (born 12 February 1981) is an Irish musician, singer, composer, and voice actress. She began her musical career as a member of Damien Rice's band. Since beginning her solo career in 2007 she has released three albums: '' S ...

Neil Hannon Edward Neil Anthony Hannon (born 7 November 1970) is a Northern Irish singer and songwriter. He is the creator and front man of the chamber pop group The Divine Comedy, and is the band's sole constant member. Hannon wrote the theme tunes for ...

Gemma Hayes Gemma Hayes (born 11 August 1977) is an Irish musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments, including the piano and the harmonica. She is also a m ...

and Snow Patrol's

Gary Lightbody Gareth John Lightbody (born 15 June 1976) is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol. He has also founded the musical supergroups The ...

. * Just three days later, on Monday November 6, the U2/ Green Day duet "

The Saints Are Coming "The Saints are Coming" was the third single by the Scottish punk rock band Skids, featured on their 1979 debut album, '' Scared to Dance''. The song became an international hit when it was covered in 2006 by U2 and Green Day. It was covered ...

" was released. A music video for the song, directed by

Chris Milk Chris Milk is an American entrepreneur, innovator, director, photographer, and immersive artist. He is co-founder and CEO of Within (Virtual Reality) (formerly Vrse), a virtual reality technology company, and co-founder of Here Be Dragons (for ...

, was released on video site YouTube on Friday October 27, 2006. The music video showed the two bands playing at the Abbey Road Studio and at the Louisiana Superdome (though the footage from the live performance at the Superdome was overdubbed with the studio version of the song), intermixed with news footage of the displacement of residents after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The second half of the video showed an alternate history in which

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

redeployed troops and vehicles from Iraq to New Orleans to help victims of the hurricane, with the military personnel fulfilling the titular role of the "saints." The video had more than two million views on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

five days after its initial upload. The single received a Grammy nomination for "Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group". * On Friday November 17, U2's compilation album

U218 Singles U or u, is the twenty-first and sixth-to-last letter and fifth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''u'' (pr ...

was released. The track listing had been announced on Friday November 3.

December

* On Saturday December 9, U2 played the final date of their

Honolulu Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

. After the show, U2 manager

Paul McGuinness Paul McGuinness (born 16 June 1951) is the founder of ''Principle Management Limited'', a popular music act management company based in Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. He was the manager of the rock band U2 from 1978 to 2013. Early life ...

announced that the band were planning to release their new album by late 2007. * On Thursday December 21,

announced that they would be playing

Malahide Castle Malahide Castle ( ga, Caisleán Mhullach Íde), parts of which date to the 12th century, lies close to the village of Malahide, nine miles (14 km) north of central Dublin in Ireland. It has over of remaining parkland estate, forming the ...

on Saturday June 30, 2007, and then Live at the Marquee in Cork on Sunday July 1, 2007. * On Saturday 23 December, news broke that Bono was to receive an honorary

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

knighthood from

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

for his humanitarian work and contribution to music. He was eventually presented with the award by the British ambassador to Ireland on Thursday 29 March 2007.

Bands formed

* Fight Like Apes

Bands disbanded

* JJ72 ''(June 22)'' * Turn

Bands reformed

Horslips Horslips are an Irish Celtic rock band that compose, arrange and perform songs frequently inspired by traditional Irish airs, jigs and reels. The group are regarded as 'founding fathers of Celtic rock' for their fusion of traditional Irish ...

The Stunning The Stunning are an Irish rock band. Formed in 1987 in Galway, they are perhaps best known for their singles " Brewing Up a Storm", "Romeo's on Fire", "Half Past Two", "Heads Are Gonna Roll". Known for their strong live performances, they main ...

Albums & EPs

A total of 180 Irish albums were released in 2006. :''Below is a list of notable albums & EPs released by Irish artists in Ireland in 2006.'' * ''

Aaagh! ''Aaagh!'' is the second album by the Irish funk-rock band Republic of Loose. It was released on 7 April 2006. At a cost of €70,000 to make, it was their most expensive album to date. ''Sunday Tribune'' journalist Una Mullally called it "one ...

'' –

Republic of Loose Republic of Loose were an Irish funk rock band from Dublin. Formed in 2001, the band formerly consisted of lead vocalist Mick Pyro, bass guitarist and vocalist Benjamin Loose, keyboardist Deco, guitarists and vocalists Dave Pyro and Brez and ...

''(April 7, 2006)'' * '' Eyes Open'' – Snow Patrol ''(May 9, 2006)'' * '' Victory for the Comic Muse'' –

The Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature an ...

''(June 19, 2006)'' * '' Tremors'' –

Humanzi Humanzi were an Irish rock band based in Dublin, Ireland. Album and singles Humanzi released their debut album ''Tremors'' on Fiction/SFR on 24 July 2006. It featured the singles "Fix The Cracks" and "Diet Pills and Magazines". ''Tremors'' w ...

(July 21, 2006) * '' Not Fade Away'' –

David Kitt David Kitt (born 1975 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish musician. He has released eight studio albums to date: ''Small Moments'', ''The Big Romance'', ''Square 1'', ''The Black and Red Notebook'', '' Not Fade Away'', ''The Nightsaver'', ''Yous'', ...

(August 18, 2006) * ''

Neosupervital Tim O'Donovan, better known by his stage name Neosupervital, is a multi-instrumentalist based in Dublin, Ireland. Previously Neosupervital live was a band affair. Previous band members included Dancin Vin, Jessie LoveAction and Miss K (Lauren). Je ...

'' –

(September 1, 2006) * '' Boss Volenti'' – Boss Volenti (September 8, 2006) * '' The Cost'' –

(September 22, 2006) * ''

Songs from the Deep Forest ''Songs from the Deep Forest'' is an album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Duke Special. In May 2006, it was released as a limited edition set of six 7" vinyl discs and then re-released as a single CD in October of the same year. It was nomi ...

'' –

Duke Special Duke Special (born Peter Wilson; 4 January 1971) is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he was previously known for his distinctiv ...

(October 2006) * '' We Thrive on Big Cities'' –

Director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

(October 6, 2006) * '' The Art of Insincerity'' –

Royseven Royseven are a six-piece alternative rock band from Dublin, Ireland. They are known for songs such as "Dance" and " We Should Be Lovers", and have released two albums to date: '' The Art of Insincerity'' (2006) and '' You Say, We Say'' (2011). ...

(October 20, 2006) * '' Trouble Pilgrim'' – The Radiators (October 26, 2006) * '' A Public Display of Affection'' –

The Blizzards The Blizzards are an Irish band from Mullingar in County Westmeath. They were formed by Niall Breslin in late 2004, and also feature Dec Murphy (drums), Justin Ryan, Anthony Doran, Louize Carroll (bass) and Aidan Lynch (keyboards). They have ...

(October 27, 2006) * '' The Cake Sale'' – The Cake Sale (November 3, 2006) * '' 9'' –

(November 3, 2006) * ''

'' – U2 (November 17, 2006) Release date unknown * ''

Adventures in Gramophone ''Adventures in Gramophone'' is an album by the Northern Ireland based artist Duke Special. It was released on Hag Records in 2005 and collects all twelve tracks from two previous EP releases - '' Lucky Me'' and '' My Villain Heart''. It was no ...

'' –

(??? 2006) * '' A Moment of Stillness'' –

God Is an Astronaut God Is an Astronaut are an Irish post-rock band from County Wicklow, formed in 2002 by Niels and Torsten Kinsella. Their style employs elements of electronic music, krautrock, and space rock, reminiscent of Tangerine Dream. The band currently ...

(??? 2006) (EP) * '' In Towers and Clouds'' – The Immediate (Summer 2006) * '' Now This I Have To Hear'' – Messiah J and the Expert (??? 2006)

Singles

:''Below is a list of notable singles released by Irish artists in Ireland in 2006.'' Release date unknown * "

Undercover To go "undercover" (that is, to go on an undercover operation) is to avoid detection by the object of one's observation, and especially to disguise one's own identity (or use an assumed identity) for the purposes of gaining the trust of an ind ...

" –

(??? 2006) * " Something Outta Nothing" – Messiah J and the Expert (??? 2006) * " When The Bull Gores The Matador" – Messiah J and the Expert (??? 2006)

Festivals

Oxegen 2006

* Oxegen 2006 took place at

Punchestown Racecourse Punchestown Racecourse is located in the parish of Eadestown, between the R410 and R411 regional roads near Naas, County Kildare, in Ireland. It is known as the home of Irish Jumps Racing and plays host to the annual Punchestown Irish National ...

in County Kildare on Saturday July 8 and Sunday July 9. It was headlined by

and

Electric Picnic 2006

* Electric Picnic 2006 took place in Stradbally Estate, County Laois from Friday September 1 until Sunday September 3. It was headlined by Pet Shop Boys, Basement Jaxx,

Massive Attack Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol by Robert "3D" Del Naja, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws, Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. The debut Massive Attack album '' Blue Lines'' was releas ...

Bloc Party Bloc Party are an English rock band, composed of Kele Okereke (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, sampler), Russell Lissack (lead guitar, keyboards), Justin Harris (bass guitar, keyboards, saxophones, backing vocals) and Louise Bartle ( ...

, Gary Numan and

Hi:Fi Ireland

* :Hi:Fi Ireland took place in Belvedere House, near County Mullingar in

on Saturday August 5 and Sunday August 6. It was headlined by

, The Prodigy, Ian Brown,

and

Heineken Green Energy

The 11th Heineken Green Energy Festival at

Dublin Castle Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin. Until 1922 it was the s ...

was headlined by Snow Patrol who played on April 29.

Richard Hawley Richard Willis Hawley (born 17 January 1967) is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. After his first band Treebound Story (formed while he was still at school) broke up, Hawley found success as a member of Britpop band Longp ...

also played that day. The 2006 event also saw Ian Brown and

on April 30 whilst

and

Graham Coxon Graham Leslie Coxon (born 12 March 1969) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter who came to prominence as a founding member of the rock band Blur. As the group's lead guitarist and secondary vocalist, Cox ...

finished off the festival on May 1. With many other acts playing around the city during the weekend as part of the "gig trail/fringe" (i.e. the other music venues around the city), Dublin once again became an international music centre for the duration of the festival.

Garden Party 2006

* The Garden Party took place at Ballinlough Castle in

Athboy Athboy () is a small agricultural town located in County Meath. The town is located on the ''Yellow Ford River'', in wooded country near the County Westmeath border. Local Clubs are Clann Na nGael and Athboy Celtic. History In medieval time ...

County Meath County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the ...

on Sunday June 4. Amongst the acts to play were

The Orb The Orb are an English electronic music group founded in 1988 by Alex Paterson and Jimmy Cauty. Known for their psychedelic sound, the Orb developed a cult following among clubbers "coming down" from drug-induced highs. Their influential 19 ...

2 Many DJs Soulwax are an electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Centred around brothers David and Stephen Dewaele, other current members include Igor Cavalera and Stefaan Van Leuven. They were first noticed after the release of their album ''Much Against Eve ...

Buck 65 Richard Terfry (born March 4, 1972), better known by his stage name Buck 65, is a Canadian alternative hip hop artist. Underpinned by an extensive background in abstract hip hop, his more recent music has extensively incorporated blues, countr ...

Asian Dub Foundation Asian Dub Foundation (ADF) is an English electronic music band that combines musical styles including rap rock, dub, dancehall, ragga, and South Asian music. The group also includes traditional rock instruments such as electric bass and guit ...

and

Indie-pendence 06

* Indie-pendence 06 was a two-day affair taking place in New Square in

on Saturday August 5 and Sunday August 6. It was headlined by

, The Sultans Of Ping FC and

. Hybrasil also played at the festival.

Bud Rising

Bud Rising Spring, Bud Rising Summer and Bud Rising Winter took place in 2006 and as ever both were spread across a vast variety of venues. * Bud Rising Spring saw

performing the Olympia Theatre on April 17, with The Marshals in support. * August saw a host of concerts staged in

as part of the second year of Bud Rising's Summer shows; Radiohead, Snow Patrol, Morrissey, Daft Punk, Faithless,

and Beck were among the performers. ** Faithless played

on Thursday August 17 with special guests

. * Bud Rising Winter took place in Dublin and lasted for 7 days from Monday November 6 until Sunday November 12. Included in the festival line-up were the Irish debuts of

Cansei de Ser Sexy ''Cansei de Ser Sexy'' is the first full-length album by Brazilian indie rock band CSS. It was released on October 9, 2005 by Trama in Brazil, where it reportedly sold 5,000 copies and failed to chart. It was released in the United States on Jul ...

(November 6 in The Village) and

TV on the Radio TV on the Radio (TVOTR) is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2001. The band consists of Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops), David Andrew Sitek (guitars, keyboards, loops), Kyp Malone (vocals, guitars, bass, loops), and ...

(November 7 in Templebar Music Centre), and the event was also headlined by Primal Scream (November 11 in the Olympia Theatre),

Brian Jonestown Massacre The Brian Jonestown Massacre is an American musical project and band led and started by Anton Newcombe. It was formed in San Francisco in 1990. The group was the subject of the 2004 documentary film called '' Dig!'', and have gained media not ...

(November 12 in the Ambassador Theatre) and newcomers

Tapes 'n Tapes Tapes 'n Tapes is an indie rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. History Formed in the winter of 2003 at Carleton College, the band has released four albums. First came the self-released ''Tapes 'n Tapes EP'' in 2004, followed by the full-length ...

. Playing on November 7 in The Village were

The Spinto Band The Spinto Band is an American indie rock band from Wilmington, Delaware. Formed in 1996, the band comprises singer and guitarist Nick Krill, singer and bassist Thomas Hughes, drummer Jeffrey Hobson, keyboardist Sam Hughes, and guitarist Joey Hobs ...

, while

The Futureheads The Futureheads are an English post-punk band from Sunderland, formed in 2000. The band consists of Ross Millard (vocals and guitar), David "Jaff" Craig (vocals and bass guitar) and brothers Barry Hyde (vocals and guitar) and Dave Hyde (drums ...

played the Ambassador and

Gnarls Barkley Gnarls Barkley are an American soul duo, composed of singer-songwriter CeeLo Green and producer Danger Mouse. They released their debut studio album, ''St. Elsewhere'', in 2006. It contained their hit single "Crazy", which peaked at number two ...

the following night.

Download Festival

* Download Festival Ireland hosted a two-day event at the RDS Showgrounds in Dublin in 2006, headlined by metal acts Guns N' Roses and Metallica.

Live at the Marquee

* Live at the Marquee 2006 took place in the Cork Showgrounds between June and July. Headlining acts included

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

, Roger Waters,

and

Des Bishop Desmond Bishop (born 12 November 1975) is an American-Irish comedian. He was brought up in New York and moved to Ireland at the age of 14. He primarily resides there. Approach to comedy Bishop's comedy has covered social issues, such as poverty ...

Slane 2006

* Slane 2006 was cancelled after a failure to find a suitable headline act. It was the first time since the mid-1990s that it has not taken place in consecutive years, with Eminem having pulled out in 2005. Lord Henry Mountcharles had targeted American

group Green Day as his preferred headline act, but the

n band were not touring in 2006. Lord Henry had this to say: ''"There was no big band that could do it. The acts are not available."''

Music awards

2006 Meteor Awards

The

were held on February 2, 2006. Below are the winners:"Meteor Ireland Music Awards Past Winners"
.

Meteor A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space. Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as mi ...

. Accessed 1 February 2009.

Choice Music Prize

The Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year 2005 was awarded at

for her album '' 13 Songs'' on February 28, 2006.

References

{{Reflist, 30em

External links

IMRO website

''Hot Press'' website

''State'' website

MUSE.ie

CLUAS.com

News
at

Phantom FM TXFM (formerly Phantom 105.2) was a Dublin based radio station, founded in 1997 as a pirate radio station. TXFM broadcast under a contract awarded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). The station ceased broadcasting on 26 October 2016 ...

Music
at ''

The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...

''
Music
at the '' Irish Independent''
Music news
an

at RTÉ

Summary

January

February

March

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Bands formed

Bands disbanded

Bands reformed

Albums & EPs

Singles

Festivals

Oxegen 2006

Electric Picnic 2006

Hi:Fi Ireland

Heineken Green Energy

Garden Party 2006

Indie-pendence 06

Bud Rising

Download Festival

Live at the Marquee

Slane 2006

Music awards

2006 Meteor Awards

Choice Music Prize

See also

References

External links