The Divine Comedy last night won the Choice Music Prize Irish Album of the Year for 2006.
The band, led by Derry-born Neil Hannon, was chosen from a shortlist of 10 nominees, which included Snow Patrol, Director, David Kitt and The Immediate. The awards ceremony was held at Vicar St in Dublin, where eight of the 10 nominees, including Hannon, performed live.
Hannon, who has already enjoyed top 10 success in the UK with such hits as Something for the Weekend, Becoming More Like Alfie and National Express, walked away with a prize of €10,000. Hannon, the son of former Church of Ireland bishop of Clogher Brian Hannon, also wrote the theme tune for the comedy series Father Ted.
The award for his new album, Victory for the Comic Muse, was something of a surprise as the album had not been well received by many critics.
Some pundits were expecting Hannon's fellow Northern Irishman, Duke Special, to win the prize, while Dublin's Si Schroeder was also tipped to take the award.
The most well-known album on the shortlist was Snow Patrol's Eyes Open, which topped the UK album charts and has already sold one million copies in the United States. The Belfast band, led by frontman Gary Lightbody, were unable to attend last night's event as they are currently on a sold-out tour of the US. Eyes Open won the Meteor Music Award for Best Irish Album in January.
Hannon, currently living in Dublin, has recently collaborated with French band Air, co-writing and singing on a track, Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping, on the band's new album, Pocket Symphony. He has also worked with such artists as Charlotte Gainsbourg and Scott Walker.
This is the second Choice Music Prize. Established in 2005, the prize celebrates and acknowledges the work of Irish musicians. The winner of the inaugural prize was Galway singer Julie Feeney, for her album, 13 Songs, which she financed and recorded herself. Since her win, Feeney has gone on to sign a worldwide recording deal with SonyBMG, and seen sales of her album increase hugely.
The Choice Music Prize was set up by events manager Dave Reid and Irish Times journalist Jim Carroll.
It has come to be seen as the Irish equivalent of Britain's Mercury Music Prize, rewarding artists for their musical and songwriting ability rather than their commercial success.