Nominations have just been announced for the Choice Music Prize for the best Irish album of 2008. Here, Neil Dunphy and Una Mullally, both former judges for the award, give their verdicts on the shortlist:

The Contenders

• Fight Like Apes 'Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion'

• Mick Flannery 'White Lies'

• Halfset 'Another Way of Being There'

• Lisa Hannigan 'Sea Sew'

• David Holmes 'The Holy Pictures'

• Jape 'Ritual'

• Messiah J & The Expert 'From The Word Go'

• Oppenheimer 'Take The Whole Mid-Range And Boost It'

• R.S.A.G. 'Organic Sampler'

• The Script 'The Script'

...and Una Mullally's 'Coulda Been
Contenders'

• Heathers 'Here Not There'

• Snow Patrol 'A Hundred Million Suns'

• Adebisi Shank 'This Is The Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank'

• Republic of Loose 'Vol IV: Johnny Pyro And The Dance Of Evil'

• Ham Sandwich 'Carry The Meek'

• Chequerboard 'Penny Black'

• Pony Club 'Post Romantic'

• Colm Mac An Iomaire 'The Hare's Corner'

• The Vinny Club 'The Rocky IV Reckyrd'

• The Jimmy Cake 'Spectre and Crown'

Since its inception in 2006, the Choice Music Prize has consistently come up with some, erm, interesting choices. When albums from artists such as the Frames, Sinead O'Connor or, heck, even Damien Rice, are ignored by the 12 judges (as they have been in past years), the award has been slow to imbed itself in the public consciousness. While Julie Feeney's win in its inaugural year gave her a record deal with Sony (her follow-up to '13 Songs' is due very soon), the subsequent winners, the Divine Comedy and, last year, Super Extra Bonus Party, did little to improve the Choice's cachet.

This year could be crucial. The likely contenders are here: Fight Like Apes, Lisa Hannigan and Jape but there are many that have been overlooked. No Snow Patrol? Well, I'm not complaining. No Ham Sandwich? Ditto, but I thought they would make it. No Colm Mac An Iomaire? I only heard it recently but it is a beautifully melancholic piece of music. No nomination either for one of Ireland's finest trad exports, Martin Hayes and Denis Cahill. Even Duke Special, who has already had two tries at winning it, was overlooked. But no Republic of Loose, while unforgiveable, will merely add to the band's outsider status. And the Jimmy Cake didn't even get a nomination. So who's going to win the €10,000 on 4 March in Vicar Street? The bookies are split between The Script, Hannigan, Jape and FLApes. I say Jape. Well, I hope so. ND