Fontaines D.C. backed for Grammy glory ahead of Sunday's ceremony

They may have missed out on a Choice Music Prize to Denise Chaila and Niall Horan in the Album of the Year and Song of the Year catagories respectively, but Fontaines D.C. are being backed for Grammy glory on Sunday.

The eyes of Irish music fans will be on the Staples Centre in Los Angeles as the Dublin-formed band, which features two members from Mayo, fly the flag at the 63rd edition of the Grammy Awards.

Fontaines D.C. have enjoyed a meteoric rise in the music world since the release of their debut album Dogrel but now their second offering is in the running to scoop a prize on music’s biggest awards night.

Last summer’s release, A Hero’s Death, has caught the ear of critics and is shortlisted in the Best Rock Album category for Sunday’s ceremony, and BoyleSports have made it an 8/1 shot from 16/1 following some strong patriotic support for the Irish rockers.

Competition for the coveted gong is fierce, with The Strokes even money favourites for The New Abnormal, while Michael Kiwanuka is also a strong contender at 5/2. The other contenders are Grace Potter with Daylight (6/1) and Sturgill Simpson with Sound & Fury (7/1).

Even if they end up empty-handed, Fontaines D.C. are still a short 2/1 to follow in the footsteps of the likes of U2 and Sinead O’Connor by adding themselves to the list of Irish Grammy winners by 2025.

Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BoyleSports, commented: “It looks like a very competitive category but there’s plenty out there who think Fontaines D.C. deserve to win this one. Punters are confident they’ll scoop a Grammy sooner rather than later and we’re 8/1 from 16/1 about it happening this weekend.”

Other Irish acts that BoyleSports believe will win a Grammy by the end of 2025 are Dermot Kennedy (6/1), Aoife Nessa Frances (6/1), Denise Chaila (10/1) and Shiv (12/1).

Fontaines D.C. members Tom Coll (drums) and Conor Deegan (bass) both hail from Castlebar. The band is completed by Grian Chatten (vocals), Carlos O'Connell (guitar) and Conor Curley (guitar).