November 2026
Dates Announced Soon
Adare, Co. Limerick
Bringing together leading voices from podcasting and music for three days of honest, substantive conversation.
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. brings 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.
What to Expect at Sound. Waves.
Panels, Keynotes & Conversations
Expect keynotes, panel discussions and fireside chats spanning content creation, distribution, monetisation, AI, deal-making and the evolving relationship between artists, audiences and platforms. National and international speakers share the stage, covering the full sweep of the modern audio industry.
All Ireland Podcast Awards
At the heart of Sound.Waves. sits the All Ireland Podcast Awards — Ireland's only ceremony dedicated entirely to the podcast medium. Celebrating the best audio content produced across all 32 counties, the AIPA gala is a highlight of the Irish media calendar, recognising the podcasters, producers and publishers shaping the future of the form.
Networking
Sound.Waves. is built for real access to build your network. Whether you're an independent creator, a publisher, a platform or a label, you'll be in the same rooms as Ireland's audio decision-makers — with the space and time to actually connect.
Workshops
Go deeper in our hands-on workshop sessions, designed for practitioners who want practical takeaways, not just big ideas.
Sound. Waves. 2025
The inaugural Sound.Waves. conference launched in November 2025 in Adare Co. Limerick, with a powerful three-day programme that brought together leading voices from podcasting, music, sport, entertainment, technology and the wider creative economy. Supported by Limerick.ie, Sound.Waves. delivered a future-facing agenda examining how content is created, monetised, distributed and scaled in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
Hosted at the 4-star Woodlands Hotel & Spa, the event drew creators, executives, producers, artists and industry decision-makers from across Ireland, the UK, Europe and the United States. With global platforms such as Apple, Patreon and Spotify participating alongside major Irish players and independent creators, Sound.Waves. positioned itself immediately as a new annual meeting point for the industry.
Across three days, delegates explored the intersection of creativity and commerce through keynotes, panel discussions, fireside conversations and exclusive one-to-one sessions. Topics ranged from audience development and IP strategy to AI’s growing influence on content production, marketing and distribution.
The speaker programme included Johnny B of The 2 Johnnies, Dylan Haskins from BBC Sounds, Chris Cooke of CMU, Richard O'Donovan from Polydor Records, Alex Briand of Redhanded and Jamie Weir of Sky Sports Golf, alongside representation from RTÉ, Mediahuis, Bauer Media, Patreon and Apple Podcasts.
The inaugural Sound.Waves. showcase also introduced five emerging acts to a live industry audience in Limerick City, cementing the event's commitment to new talent alongside established names.
The inaugural All Ireland Podcast Awards saw over 250 entries received, resulting in 84 nominees recognised across 8 award categories on the night.
Hosted by Limerick broadcaster Louise Cantillon and comedian and podcaster Kevin McGahern, the gala drew 100+ guests including Nicky Byrne, Mary Kennedy, The Dating Orange, Young Hot Guys and Joe McGuckan. Winners included Indo Daily (Current Affairs & Politics), The Laughs of Your Life with Doireann Garrihy (Conversation), Young Hot Guys (Entertainment), Cover: The Real Stakeknife (Documentary & Drama) and The Real Carrie Jade (True Crime), with RTÉ, Mediahuis, Headstuff and the BBC all represented in the winners' circle.
