Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, won Best Radio Presenter of the Year and BBC Northern Ireland’s acclaimed ‘Line of Duty’ took the Best Drama Series crown at the final gala awards ceremony of the 2017 Celtic Media Festival on the Isle of Man.
The TG4/BBC Northern Ireland production Eoin Mac Néill: Fear Dearmadta 1916 was named as the Spirit of the Festival.
The Kieran Hegarty Award for Innovation was won by Voices 16, a BBC Northern Ireland production.
This year saw RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta maintain its unbroken seven year record in the Presenter of the Year category after Blathnaid Ní Chofaigh claimed the coveted title.
The Celtic Media Festival Torc Awards celebrate the very best of film, television, radio and interactive media to emerge within the Celtic nations in the past year.
Festival Director, Catriona Logan said: “The final gala award winners here at the Celtic Media Festival are a true demonstration of the genre, linguistic and national diversity of the festival and the awards. From a groundbreaking BBC Scotland documentary to our radio presenter of the year from Ireland; from an incredible BBC Northern Ireland drama series to our Welsh radio station of the year; and indeed our Spirit of the Festival winner – Eoin Mac Néill: Fear Dearmadta 1916 – the Celtic Media Festival continues to showcase the best of the best from the Celtic nations. The sun shone for three days here on the Isle of Man, appropriate for the thriving national and independent production sectors of our Celtic nations. As we approach the 40th year of the festival, we look forward to another amazing gathering in Wales, for the Celtic Media Festival 2018.”
The aim of the Celtic Media Festival is to promote the languages and cultures of the Celtic countries on screen and in broadcasting. The Celtic Media Festival is supported by broadcast, film, cultural and economic development organisations throughout the Celtic countries.
The festival is core funded by: BBC Wales, BBC Northern Ireland, RTE, TG4, MG ALBA, Northern Ireland Screen, BBC Scotland and S4C.
Festival Sponsors for 2017 are: Department of Economic Development - Isle of Man, SES/Isle of Media, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, TG4, BBC Scotland, RTÉ, MG ALBA, S4C, Northern Ireland Screen, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Cymru Wales.
For full details on the festival visit the website here and to keep up to date with the latest news from the festival keep an eye on IFTN’s twitter and facebook pages.
Read IFTN’s interview with Celtic Media Festival Director Catriona Logan here “There is so much amazing work coming from the Celtic nations & regions,”
Celtic Media Festival 2017 Day 3 Gala Award Winners:
CATEGORY: Single Documentary Country Production Company/Broadcaster
Dunblane - Our Story Scotland BBC One / STV
CATEGORY: Drama Series Country Production Company/Broadcaster
Line of Duty N. Ireland BBC / World Productions Limited
CATEGORY: Kieran Hegarty Country Production Company/Broadcaster
Award for Innovation
Voices 16 N. Ireland BBC Northern Ireland Productions
CATEGORY: Radio Presenter of the Year Country Production Company/Broadcaster
Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh Ireland RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
CATEGORY: Radio Station of the Year Country Production Company/Broadcaster
BBC Radio Cymru Wales BBC Radio Cymru
CATEGORY: Spirit of the Festival Country Production Company/Broadcaster
Eoin Mac Néill: Fear Dearmadta 1916 Ireland BBC2 NI and TG4 / Doubleband Films
