RTÉ WINS 24 AWARDS AT NEW YORK RADIO FESTIVALS 2021
RTÉ programmes won 24 prestigious awards at the 2021 New York Festivals International Radio Awards, which took place virtually last night. Recognised for its rich craft in storytelling, RTÉ was honoured with two gold trophies, seven silver, four bronze awards and 11 finalist certificates. World class audio work created by global storytellers from more than 30 countries was honoured at the October 12th Storytellers Gala virtual event.
Demonstrating the strength and range of RTÉ’s radio programming, there were wins in Best Digital Drama, Best Narration, Writing, Serialised Podcast, Music, Sports & Recreation, Director, Human Relations, History and several more categories.
RTÉ Radio 1’s Documentary on One won a gold trophy, three silver and two bronze awards for its engaging stories. The gold award went to Documentary on One for The Grief of a Nation (Human Relations). Three silver awards were also given to the Documentary on One for The Nobody Zone (Best Narration), The Nobody Zone (Serialised Podcast) and Shane Healy – Back on Track (Sports & Recreation).
RTÉ Radio 1’s Drama on One received a gold award for Islands with Chris Watson and Luke Clancy (Best Sound), and two silver awards for Hamlet, Prince of Derry by Colin Murphy, directed by Conall Morrison (Best Digital Drama), and Small Bones by Siobhán Mannion (Best Writing). There was bronze for Gorretti Slavin (Best Director) for Rainbow Baby by John O’Donnell
RTÉ lyric fm took home two silver awards for The Lyric Feature: The Ballad of the Stolwijk Rescue (Best original music) and The Lyric Feature: Music, Mystery and Manuscripts (Documentary: Biographies/ Profiles) and a bronze award for The Lyric Feature: Island Time (Best Writing).
Eleven Finalist Certificates were also awarded across RTÉ Radio 1, Radio 1 Extra and RTÉ lyric fm.
Head of RTÉ Radio 1, Peter Woods, says: “These awards are another recognition of the continued excellence of Radio 1’s documentary and drama output. Programmes like the gold trophy winning ‘The Grief of a Nation’ which skilfully encapsulate an era and a moment in history and the serendipity which led photographer Eamon Kennedy to the Parklands Hospital in Dallas in November 1963. Similarly, the gold award winning ‘Islands’ with Chris Watson and Luke Clancy (Best Sound) produced by Kevin Brew – an imaginary journey from the Galapagos to the mythical isle of Hy Brasil: a programme that bent genres and was a triumph of the imagination over the Lockdown.”
Acting Head of RTÉ lyric fm, Sinead Wylde, says: “RTÉ lyric fm’s three awards for the Lyric Feature at this year’s New York Radio Festivals are a real endorsement of a programme which encourages artists to explore new possibilities through working with radio. Series producer Eoin O Kelly worked with Brían Mac Gloinn of Ye Vagabonds to use his song writing and musicianship to communicate through words and music, a timely story of courage and resilience in ‘The Ballad of the Stolwijk Rescue’ (Silver), while Kevin Barry’s ‘Island Time'(Bronze) produced in conjunction with Aerial Sparks at Galway 2020 showcases the Impac winning writer as a formidable writer for radio and Zoë Comyns ‘Music, Mystery and Manuscripts’ (Silver) artfully tells the story of the Irish born novelist and composer Ethel Voynich.”
Note: Image from RTÉ Radio 1’s Documentary on One The Grief of a Nation, which won gold in the Human Relations category.
The full list of RTÉ winners is as follows:
Gold Radio Winners
Drama: Islands with Chris Watson and Luke Clancy (Best Sound)
Documentary on One: The Grief of a Nation (Human Relations)
Silver Radio Winners
Drama on One: Hamlet, Prince of Derry by Colin Murphy, directed by Conall Morrison (Best Digital Drama)
Drama on One: Small Bones by Siobhán Mannion (Best Writing)
Documentary on One: The Nobody Zone (Best narration)
Documentary on One: The Nobody Zone (Serialised podcast)
Documentary on One: Shane Healy – Back on Track (Sports & Recreation)
RTÉ lyric fm: The Ballad of the Stolwijk Rescue (Best original music)
RTÉ lyric fm: The Lyric Feature: Music, Mystery and Manuscripts (Documentary: Biographies/ Profiles)
Bronze Radio Winners
Drama: Rainbow Baby by John O’Donnell, directed by Gorretti Slavin (Best Director)
Documentary on One: The Little Shop of Secrets (History)
Documentary on One: The Long Run (Biography/Profiles)
RTÉ Lyric FM: The Lyric Feature: Island Time (Best Writing)
Finalist Certificates for RTÉ Radio 1, Radio 1 Extra and RTÉ lyric fm:
Drama: Long Story Short by Tracy Martin, featuring Angeline Ball (Best Performance by an Actress)
Drama: Quicksand by Elizabeth Moynihan, featuring Rex Ryan (Best Performance by an Actor)
Drama: No One Ever Asked Me That, written and devised by Louise Lewis, Nyree Yergainharsian, and Gorretti Slavin (Best Drama Special)
Drama: The Wedding Anniversary by Bernard Farrell (Best Drama Special)
Drama: (Drama On One with Radio 1 Extra) Digging For Fire by Daragh Dukes, Eoin O’Kelly, and Kevin Brew (Best Music Documentary)
RTÉ lyric fm: Rebecca Sanchez – from Healthcare worker to the national stage (Best Regularly Scheduled music programme)
RTÉ lyric fm: The Lyric Concert: John Lennon Special (Entertainment: Best Special Event)
RTÉ lyric fm: The Full Score (Programming Format: Best Classical Format)
Spoken Stories: Independence for Neil Jordan for his story Easter 2036 produced by Clíodhna Ní Anluain (Best writing)
Spoken Stories: Independence for Stephen Rea for Easter 2036 directed and produced by Clíodhna Ní Anluain (Best narration)
Spoken Stories: Independence for Sue Rainsford for her story Shorn narrated by Saoirse Ronan (Best writing)