RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards Tuesday 27th February 2024, Vicar Street, Dublin

The 6th RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards will take place in Vicar Street in Dublin on Tuesday 27 February 2024. The Awards will be broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1 and on the RTÉ Radio App and a highlights programme will be broadcast on RTÉ television. The Awards will not take place this November.

Commenting on the decision to move the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards to February, Head of RTÉ Radio 1, Peter Woods, said: “Music is central to what RTÉ Radio 1 does and folk and traditional music are integral to that. We take pride in this and pride too in the Folk Awards in particular, which is a central part of the music calendar and a great recognition of the talent produced by this country and how it marks our culture.”

RTÉ’s Group Head of Arts & Culture, Ann-Marie Power said: “The inaugural night in 2018 awarded Best Folk Group to Lankum, Radie Peat Best Folk Singer and in 2019 Ye Vagabonds’, The Hare’s Lament, was Best Folk Album. Each year, new names – at the time – such as Emma Langford, John Francis Flynn are awarded best emerging artist – a category that they, and others, move quickly beyond through their work and artistry. It is heartening to view, over the six years, how robust, creative and vital the folk scene is in Ireland right now and to ensure RTE delivers the best celebration possible, we have moved the awards to February. This new time, in early spring, allows us to better reflect the full calendar year of music. We very much look forward to honouring our wonderful folk artists and musicians again in front of a live audience and with RTÉ Radio 1 listeners across the world.”  

THE DETAILS

QUALIFYING PERIOD 

The qualifying period for the 6th RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards is Thursday 13 September 2022 to Sunday 12 November 2023 [a period of 14 months].

Submissions for consideration from musicians, labels, promoters and members of the public are welcome by email to folkawards@rte.ie.

JURY VOTE CATEGORIES

Seven awards are made each year as a result of voting by the Folk Awards Jury.  These are:

Best Original Folk Track 
A new song or instrumental track which has been recorded during the qualifying period since the last awards.

Winner in 2022: Now You See It – Susan O’Neill

Best Traditional Folk Track 
A recording of a traditional track (song or instrumental) from the Irish folk tradition which was recorded during the qualifying period.

Winner in 2022: Róisín Dubh – Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and the Irish Chamber Orchestra

Best Folk Singer 
An award for an Irish folk singer in recognition of a great recording or performance which took place during the qualifying period.

Winner in 2022: Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh

Best Emerging Folk Artist 
An award recognizing a new act (solo or group/vocal or instrumental) who made an impact on the Irish folk scene within the qualifying period.

Winner in 2022: Cathal Ó Curráin

Best Folk Instrumentalist 

An award for an instrumental solo artist or a band member, recognizing great musicianship either in a recording or a performance during the qualifying period.

Winner in 2022: Cormac Begley

Best Folk Group 

The Irish folk group which made the biggest impact during the qualifying period.

Winner in 2022: the olllam

Best Folk Album 

The best folk album released during the qualifying period. This excludes re-issues or compilations.

Winner in 2022: Nine Waves – Ye Vagabonds

Committee Vote Categories

Two awards are made each year as a result of deliberations by the Folk Awards Steering Committee. Those are:

Hall of Fame Award 

An award given to a person no longer living who made a significant contribution to Irish folk music during their lifetime.

Recipient in 2022: Paddy Moloney

Lifetime Achievement Award 

An award given to a living artist who has made a significant contribution to Irish folk music over a period of many years.

Recipient in 2022: Mary Black

For full details on last year’s winners, see https://about.rte.ie/2022/11/17/rte-radio-1-folk-awards-winners-announced-2/

RTÉ’s Crimecall returns for its 20th season next Monday, 25 September, at 9.35pm on RTÉ One with a new presenter, Carla O’Brien, and a new look.

Each month this long-running, popular RTÉ strand uses reconstructions, CCTV footage and live studio appeals to look for information from the public, to help with Garda investigations. Calls to the programme have led to numerous convictions over the previous 19 series.

On next week’s programme the family of Dublin man Martin Lynn speaks about his death and hopes the public can help Gardaí with their investigation. 

The show also covers the 37-year-old mystery of a body that washed up on the Leitrim coast in 1986. Gardaí are appealing to anyone who might recognise the detail on the body’s distinctive tattoos.
 
Crimecall will also hear from a man rebuilding his life after escaping from forced labour in rural Ireland.

Commenting on her new role, incoming presenter Carla O’Brien said, “It is an honour and a privilege to be given the opportunity to present such a long-running and popular programme as Crimecall, which is a cornerstone of public service broadcasting. I look forward to working with An Garda Síochána, the production team and, most importantly, the viewers, who make the programme possible. I count myself really lucky to follow in the footsteps of my inspirational friend and colleague Sharon Ní Bheoláin, whose guidance and support have been invaluable.”

After five plus years in the Crimecall hotseat, previous presenter Sharon Ní Bheoláin said, “Crimecall is a valued piece of public service broadcasting and it was nothing short of a privilege to host the show for five and a half years. Alas, it’s time for me to move on but not before expressing my sincere gratitude to the dedicated Crimecall team, the studio crew, and An Garda Síochána all of whom made my job look easy! In particular, 

I’d like to pay tribute to the many brave programme contributors; victims of crime, their families and loved ones of missing persons who spoke to me so movingly, often in the most grief-stricken circumstances. 

It’s my great pleasure to hand over the baton now to my super-talented friend and colleague Carla O’Brien. I know she will do a great job. I know our loyal viewers will continue to tune in in great numbers and help Gardaí where they can with their crime appeals.”

Watch Crimecall, on RTÉ One, Monday 25 September, 9.35pm

 Bumper weekend on RTÉ with record-breaking debut for Patrick Kielty on The Late Late Show, and Ireland v Tonga in Rugby World Cup

–  Peak Late Late Show audience of 934,000, plus a record- breaking 158,000 streams on RTÉ Player for season opener

7.6 million views across Late Late Show social media accounts

– Peak audience of 1,064.7m during Ireland v Tonga 

It was a packed weekend of entertainment and sport across RTÉ, with Patrick Kielty’s debut at the helm of The Late Late Show on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, and Ireland’s defeat of Tonga live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from France among the highlights.

On Friday night, viewers from Ireland and across the globe on RTÉ Player tuned in to watch Patrick Kielty make history as only the fourth presenter of the world’s longest-running live chatshow. Friday night’s eagerly anticipated Late Late Show had an average audience of 830,000 (*Live+VOSDAL on RTÉ One and RTÉ One +1), with a 62% audience share. A peak audience of 934,000 tuned in. RTÉ Player has had 158,000 streams of Friday night’s show, making it the strongest ever Late Late Show opening on RTÉ Player. There was a 65% audience share among Adults aged 25-44 for the show. On social media, videos posted on Late Late Show accounts have amassed 7.6 million views since September 1st. 

Patrick’s guests on opening night included Tommy Tiernan, former President Mary McAleese, footballer James McClean, and The 2 Johnnies. There was also live music from Chasing Abbey. 

In Sport, an audience of 965,000 (*Live+VOSDAL) tuned in to watch Ireland secure a 59-16 win over Tonga at the Rugby World Cup in Nantes, with a 63% audience share. The game peaked at the 20^th minute mark, with an audience of 1,064.7m. History was also made on the night as Johnny Sexton beat Ronan O’Gara’s long-standing record as Ireland’s all-time leading points scorer with a stunning try. There were 162,000 streams of Ireland v Tonga on RTÉ Player.

Coverage continues on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player this weekend with Argentina v Samoa on Friday from 4.15pm. On Saturday, Ireland move to the Stade de France to take on South Africa, and RTÉ’s coverage begins on RTÉ2 at 7pm, where Jacqui Hurley will be joined by Jamie Heaslip, Jerry Flannery, Simon Zebo and Stephen Ferris. On Sunday, Daire O’Brien is joined by Hannah Tyrell and Jerry Flannery for live coverage of Scotland v Tonga from Stade de Nice from 4.15pm.

It was also a busy weekend for drama on RTÉ – Friday night’s Fair City had an average audience of 257,000  (*Live+VOSDAL on RTÉ One and RTÉ One +1), while Sunday’s episode, during which Zak’s pride threw the kidnapping plans in to disarray, had an average audience of 305,000 (*Live+VOSDAL on RTÉ One and RTÉ One +1). There were a further 61,000 streams for Fair City on RTÉ Player.

Episode 3 of Hidden Assets on Sunday evening on RTÉ had an average audience of 218,000  (*Live+VOSDAL on RTÉ One and RTÉ One +1). The series so far has had 75,000 streams on RTÉ Player, with Consolidated views of 283,000 for Ep 1 & 2 on RTÉ One and RTÉ One +1.

RTÉ will once again mark Irish Sign Language Awareness Week, from Monday 18th – Sunday 24th September,  with some special Irish Sign Language (ISL) programming and content across our services throughout the week, highlighting RTÉ’s ongoing commitment to the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and ISL Community in Ireland

***HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

>RTÉ One’s Nationwide (Monday, 18th September at 7.00pm) will see Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh joined by Caroline Worthington, from RTÉ’s Signed News & Weather team, at the recent International Sheepdog Trials in Blessington. The show will feature on-screen ISL presentation throughout.

>RTÉ News with Signing will reflect the theme of each day of the ISL Awareness Week.

>On RTÉ2, news2day will feature young Deaf and Hard of Hearing contributors across the week.

>On RTÉjr and RTÉ2, a number of children’s programmes will feature ISL across the week

>RTÉ Weather will host The Holy Family School for the Deaf TY students on Tuesday 19th September to show them how ISL Weather is made. Students will also visit News, news2day, Access Services, Playout and the new Late Late Show set!

>On Saturday 23rd September, International Day of Sign Languages, the RTÉ sign at the entrance to RTÉ’s Donnybrook campus will turn Blue, a significant colour which symbolises Sign Language and represents how Deaf communities cherish their own language.

>Last week also saw the start of our ISL classes for employees.

***ACROSS THE WEEK

RTÉ News and Current Affairs on RTÉ

>ISL on Nationwide on RTÉ One

Caroline Worthington from RTÉ’s signing team is on site with Nationwide presenter, Bláthnaid Ni Chofaigh in Co. Wicklow at the International Sheep Dog Trials 2023, where handlers and their dogs from the four nations – Ireland, England Scotland and Wales are all competing for the title of Supreme Champion. At the event, Blathnaid meets some competitors and their dogs, gets a beginner’s lesson in ploughing and meets some crafters at the event while reporter Mary Fanning meets a man in Co. Kildare, who has turned his sheep dog expertise in to a successful agri-tourism business. The full show will feature on-screen ISL presentation.  

Speaking about signing on the Nationwide ISL special programme, Caroline Worthington from RTÉ’s Signed News & Weather team said: “I was delighted to be invited to celebrate ISL Awareness Week on Nationwide alongside Bláthnaid. I’m excited to show the Deaf community about the International Sheepdog Trials on the show.”

>RTÉ News
Regular features with young people from the ISL community who have important/inspiring stories to tell right across the week, and across the RTÉ News social channels.

>RTÉ News with Signing
Special ISL Awareness Week content will feature at the end of Signed News for the week.

>RTÉ News
Regular features with young people from the ISL community who have important/inspiring stories to tell right across the week, and across the RTÉ News social channels

ON RTÉ PLAYER

>RTÉ Player will feature recent RTÉ ISL programmes with ISL, including documentaries of particular interest to the Deaf Community, such as:

• Mother Father Deaf
• London Calling
• Tribute: The Teresa Deevy Story

These programmes and series are also available:

• Pulling With My Parents
• Ireland’s Wild Islands
• The Talk  
• Saol Na Feirme
• Kevin Moran:Codebreaker
• The 2 Johnnies Take On
• North Atlantic  
• Cheap European Homes
• Room To Improve  
• Clear History  

For full ISL catalogue visit RTÉ Player: https://www.rte.ie/player/.

In addition, the promotion for the new RTÉ Player campaign for Wild Islands and North Atlantic series will broadcast next week with ISL presentation by Sarah-Jane O’Regan.

Both series available on-demand on RTÉ Player with ISL.

ON RTÉ One, RTÉ 2 and RTÉjr

RTÉ One:

• Missing: Beyond the Vanishing Triangle
• The Summer Show
• Angela Scanlon, Ask Me Anything Series 2
• Super Garden – Series 14
• Ireland’s Smartest  
• The Full Irish Hidden Camera Show

RTÉ2 and RTÉjr:

• Body Brothers – Series 3
• Silly Sundays  
• Let’s Find Out
• Funny Little Monsters  
• Dizzy Deliveries

ON RTÉkids
On RTÉ Kids online, we tell you about some of the new ISL shows for young people and you can even watch some of them on the website.

Our social media channels will turn blue to mark International Day of Sign Languages on September 23rd.

For more on ISL Awareness Week on RTÉ keep an eye on RTÉ’s social media channels using #isl.

RTÉ brings three days of live news, live radio, live weather, Nationwide, Marty Morrissey, Dancing With The Stars and Ireland’s Fittest Family from The Ploughing, Ratheniska, Co. Laois 

RTÉ returns to the National Ploughing Championships (‘The Ploughing’) which is being held in Ratheniska, Co Laois for the second year, from 19th – 21st September 2023.  

This year, over three days, RTÉ’s schedule will feature live radio broadcasts across RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and RTÉ 2FM, live RTÉ Weather broadcasts on RTÉ One and live RTÉ News, including the Six One news programme on Tuesday 19th September. from Ratheniska, Co. Laois. We’ll also have a Nationwide Special from the Ploughing on Wednesday and special guest experiences featuring viewer favourites, Ireland’s Fittest Family and Dancing With The Stars. 

>>>HIGHLIGHTS 

DAY ONE: Tuesday 19th September 

On RTÉ Radio 1 

• Morning Ireland, live from 7.00am – 9.00am 
• The Louise Duffy Show*, live from 12.00pm – 1.00pm  
• The Ray D’Arcy Show, live from 3.00pm – 4.30pm 

*Louise Duffy has invited RTÉ Radio 1 listeners to get in touch if they are headed to The Ploughing on Tuesday 19th and would like to introduce their favourite song on the show. 

Marty Morrissey will also be at the RTÉ set for a meet and greet at 11.30am.

On RTÉ ONE 

Sharon Tobin will present Six One news live from The Ploughing. 

Ireland’s Fittest Family 

Back Against The Wall challenge, at 11.00am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm 

DAY TWO: Wednesday 20th September 

On RTÉ 2FM 

• Drive It with The 2 Johnnies, live from 3.00pm – 6.00pm 

On Nationwide on RTÉ ONE (7pm) 

The Nationwide team will be at the Ploughing Championships to meet some of the many thousands of visitors to this year’s event in Ratheniska. Bláthnaid learns how to plough a straight furrow and Anne meets some of the many founders of small rural enterprises who will have their produce on display in the enterprise zones.  

The future of farming depends on the younger generation but just under  7% of all farmers are under the age of 35, reporter Mary Fanning meets young farmers to find out about the future of Farming in Ireland.  

Ireland’s Fittest Family 

• Back Against The Wall challenge, at 11.00am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm 

DAY THREE: Thursday 21st September 

On RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta 

• Bladhaire, live from 3.00pm – 5.00pm 

Ireland’s Fittest Family 

• Back Against The Wall challenge, at 11.00am, 1.00pm and 3.00pm 

Dancing With The Stars  

• Meet two of the show’s popular dance professionals, Karen Byrne and Denys Samson from 12.00 noon. 

>>>TELL ME MORE 

RTÉ Weather live 

RTÉ Weather favourites Nuala Carey, Trevor Keegan Audrey McGrath will be among the weather presenters coming live from Ploughing 2023 four times a day. 

Join Ireland’s Fittest Family for the Back Against The Wall challenge 

Ireland’s Fittest Family fans will have the opportunity to take part in the Back Against The Wall challenge across the three days at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00. Paul O’Donovan, who viewers will recognise from the programme as the challenge referee, will be there to ensure it’s a fun and fair competition. Anyone who would like to take part in the challenge needs to register their interest at the RTÉ area (Block 1, Row 16, Stand 275) ahead of the scheduled challenge times. 

Meeting the DWTS dance professionals 

Dancing With The Stars will return to RTÉ One and RTÉ Player in January 2024 and visitors to the RTÉ set at The Ploughing will have the opportunity to meet two of the show’s popular dance professionals, Karen Byrne and Denys Samson on Thursday 21st September at 12:00. The judges score paddles will be there so attendees can rate themselves for a selfie too! 

For more RTÉ at The Ploughing updates, keep an eye on RTE’s social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X (Twitter)). 

Jessie Buckley to join the RTÉ Concert Orchestra along with special guests The Murder Capital, Ye Vagabonds, Aby Coulibaly, Olesya Zdorovetska, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Nia Ní Bheirn 

Friday 22nd September, 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player 

This Culture Night, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh will present an hour-long live music and arts programme from Dún Lúiche in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht at 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.

In the shadow of Mount Errigal, at a stunning lakeside setting in Dún Lúiche, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and a host of guest performers from the worlds of post-punk, R&B and indie rock will present a unique feast of music.

Actress and singer Jessie Buckley has been added to the list of stellar musicians who will perform with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra on the night. Jessie will perform a special rendition of a Sinéad O’Connor song in tribute to the late artist.

Jessie commented: “I am very honoured to return to Culture Night 2023 to remember Sinéad O Connor with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Sinéad was such a huge influence on so many women in Ireland and across the world, her courage, her mind, her politics and her intense beauty and soul. She was a warrior to humanity. I remember hearing her for the first time and feeling her uncompromising need to connect and affect. Recognising what couldn’t be said and speaking it out loud. I am so grateful for all her fire and all her love. It is such a privilege to return to Ireland for RTÉ Culture Night in Donegal to sing a song of gratitude for Sinéad and her family and friends.” 

Other artists performing with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra include The Murder Capital, R&B singer and 2FM Rising star Aby Coulibaly and Irish-based Ukrainian musician Olesya Zdorovetska.

Over the waves on Oileán Árainn Mhór off the Donegal coast, leaders of the Irish folk revival Ye Vagabonds will perform on the shorefront amphitheatre, where they will be joined by performers including Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, and Nia Ní Bheirn. While choreographer, former Riverdance lead and Gaoth Dobhair native Breandán de Gallaí with his dance company Ériu performs a commissioned dance filmed on the island.

The show will also feature a range of events happening around the country for Culture Night from the worlds of spoken word, music, dance and street theatre. These include The Lighthouse Project, a spoken word & music event at Hook Head in County Wexford; Fidget Feet aerial performance at Robert Byrne Park in Limerick, Smokehouse at IMMA, a Dublin event at the Irish Museum of Modern Art celebrating food heritage and community as part of Earth Rising and Súil le Muir, an event on Bolus Head on the Iveragh Peninsula in South Kerry.

This Culture Night celebration is presented by RTÉ in association with the Arts Council, supported by Donegal County Council.

To Whom It Concerns…

RTÉ Media Sales has today announced that Permanent TSB is the new broadcast sponsor of The Late Late Show on RTÉ for the 2023/24 and 2024/2025 seasons. The brand-new season of The Late Late Show begins on Friday, September 15th at 9.35pm on RTÉ One.
 
Patrick Kielty will be joined by a host of special guests each Friday night in front of a live studio audience.

The sponsorship agreement with Permanent TSB will include a total of 730 credited stings per season which will air across RTÉ One and RTÉ One +1, as well as the series repeat, and 30-day catch-up on RTÉ Player. It will also include the sponsor’s logo on all dedicated promos on television and social media channels.

At the announcement of the new sponsorship Stephen Jackson, Head of Customer & Marketing, Permanent TSB said: “We’re delighted to become title sponsor of The Late Late Show, the world’s longest-running live chat show and a national institution, as it begins an exciting new chapter in the show’s history. Permanent TSB has proudly served Irish communities for more than 200 years and with over 1.3 million customers, we look forward to the opportunity to connect with customers nationwide in their homes each week. With 25 new branches and over 185,000 new personal and SME customers joining Permanent TSB over the past 18 months, our sponsorship of The Late Late Show supports us in continuing to grow our business and our reach, enabling us to achieve our ambition of being Ireland’s best personal and small business bank”.

Dara Meaney, Head of Sales, RTÉ said: “RTÉ Commercial are delighted to announce our two-year partnership with Permanent TSB for the 61st and 62nd season of this unique and iconic show with new host Patrick Kielty. We are really looking forward to the new look Late Late Show and the opportunity for our Sponsor to connect and engage with Irish audiences on a massive scale across RTÉ television and RTÉ Player.”

Ruth Kennedy, TV Sponsorship Manager, RTÉ said: “We are thrilled to share the exciting news that Permanent TSB has come on board as the official sponsor of The Late Late Show for the upcoming two consecutive seasons.  As the world’s longest-running live chat show the Late Late Show has become an integral part of Friday night television, deeply embedded in the fabric of Irish households. We are so excited to be working with Permanent TSB into the 61st season of this iconic show with new host Patrick Kielty at the helm and look forward to a successful partnership.”