Mercury nomination for Hannigan's album

Kilcloon singer Lisa Hannigan, who was on the line-up at Oldcastle's Le Cheile festival at the weekend, has been nominated for a Mercury Music Prize for her album 'See Saw'. 'Sea Sew' is up for the Album of the Year prize this year. "I can't transcribe the high pitched noise of excitement that I'm involuntarily making right now, but "!" sums up my feelings best," Hannigan says on her blog. "I really can't believe it. For myself, the lads in the band, Una, Nurse Ben, all of the people who worked so hard to put this record out and be heard, it's an incredible honour and unbelievable gift." Mercury says that the 2009 Mercury Prize Albums of the Year nominees represent exciting times in music from the UK and Ireland. As well as big name bands who've made an impact all over the world, there are young, up and coming artists who make music that's exciting, inventive and implicitly indigenous. The Albums of the Year also reflect the strong feminine presence in UK and Irish music, with many young, empowered women making an appearance with their debut records, Mercury adds. There is also the marked return of the classic Rock band, with some of the biggest names on the circuit accounted for courtesy of bold, brave albums. The other nominees are Florence & The Machine, Kasablan, Speech Debelle, Friendly Fires, La Roux, Bat for Lashes, The Horrors, Glasvegas, Led Bib, Sweet Billy Pilgrim, and The Invisible. The awards take place on Tuesday 8th September.