The winners for the all-Ireland IMRO Radio Awards 2019 have been announced.
They include Newstalk getting Gold in the Full Service Station of the Year category, 98FM winning the title of Music Station of the Year and WLR FM coming out on top as Local Station of the Year.
Hundreds of radio industry folk watched the event unfold on Friday night at the Lyrath Estate Hotel Kilkenny.
The Outstanding Achievement accolade was awarded to Beat 102-103 Chief Executive Officer, Gabrielle Cummins for her work on the Choose Radio initiative.
The four 2019 Hall of Fame inductees – Ronan Collins, Sean Moncrieff, Paul Byrne and Seamus McKee were in attendance at the event and accepted their plaques.
Here are all the winners in full:
A1
General Music Programme
GOLD: The Big Ride Home with Dara Quilty 98FM
SILVER: Dermot and Dave Today FM
BRONZE: The Saturday Soundtrack with Peter Devlin Radio Nova
A2
Specialist Music Programme
GOLD: The Paul McLoone Show Today FM
SILVER: Céilí House RTÉ Radio 1
BRONZE: The Tom Dunne Show Newstalk
A3
Breakfast Programme
GOLD: Fully Charged with Graham and Nathan Spin 1038
SILVER: The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show Today FM
BRONZE: Beat Breakfast Beat 102-103
A4
Music Special/Music Event
GOLD: Astral Week’s at 50 BBC Radio Ulster
SILVER: Proms in the Park BBC Radio Ulster
BRONZE: Marty in the Morning: Beatles White Album at
50 RTÉ Radio 1
A5
Irish Music Programme or Initiative
GOLD: The Long Road RTÉ 2XM
SILVER: Composer Lab on Blue of the Night RTÉ Lyric FM
BRONZE: Folk Awards RTÉ Radio 1
B1
News Story/News Event
GOLD: BBC Radio Foyle – Lyra McKee BBC Radio Foyle
SILVER: When Mistakes Cost Lives Radio Kerry
BRONZE: The Grand Hotel East Coast FM
B2
News Programme – Full Service
GOLD: Bloody Sunday: The Decision Live BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle
SILVER: Evening Extra BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle
BRONZE: This Week: Brexit’s Meaningful Vote RTÉ Radio 1
B3
News Programme – Local/Regional
GOLD: The Breakfast Show BBC Radio Foyle
SILVER: Downtown Radio and Cool FM News Teams Downtown Radio and Cool FM
BRONZE: Extended News Bulletin Cork’s 96FM
B4
Current Affairs Programme – Full Service
GOLD: The Hard Shoulder Newstalk
SILVER: Saturday with Cormac – The Meaning and
Value of Irishness RTÉ Radio1
BRONZE: The Pat Kenny Show Newstalk
B5
Current Affairs Programme – Local/Regional
GOLD: Dublin Talks 98FM
SILVER: The Mark Patterson Show BBC Radio Foyle
BRONZE: Midlands Today with Will Faulkner Midlands 103
B6
Sports Story
GOLD: From Russia With Love – FIFA World Cup Today FM
SILVER: Declan Rice – Tragedy of Three Acts Newstalk
BRONZE: Painkillers in Irish Sport Newstalk
B7
Sports Programme – Full Service
GOLD: Off the Ball Live Newstalk
SILVER: Off the Ball Newstalk
BRONZE: Team 33 Newstalk
B8
Sports Programme – Local/Regional
GOLD: The Score Cork’s 96FM
SILVER: Carlow Rising KCLR
BRONZE: Now That’s What I Call Sport 98FM
C1
Documentary
GOLD: Documentary on One: In Shame, Love, In Shame RTÉ Radio 1
SILVER: The Rescue Clare FM
BRONZE: So Much More than Baby Blues Beat 102-103
C2
Music Documentary
GOLD: Documentary on One: Ireland’s First Superstar RTÉ Radio 1
SILVER: Documentary on One in association with RTÉ
Arts and Culture: The Summer of Astral Weeks RTÉ Radio 1
BRONZE: Documentary on One: Johnny Cash’s Lost Tour of Ireland RTÉ Radio 1
C3
Short Feature
GOLD: Cluas Chiarraí Radio Kerry
SILVER: Every Road has a Cross to Bear LMFM
BRONZE: Finding Your Tingle – The Francie Boylan
Show Ocean FM
C4
Magazine Programme
GOLD: The John Toal Show BBC Radio Ulster
SILVER: Plan B with Sarina Bellissimo Spin 1038
BRONZE: Moncrieff Newstalk
C5
Drama
GOLD: Searching for Daddly Dee Newstalk
SILVER: RTÉ Drama on One: Northern Lights by Stephen Jones RTÉ Radio 1
BRONZE: RTÉ Drama on One: James’s Story by David
Zane Mairowitz RTÉ Radio 1
C6
Specialist Speech Programme
GOLD: The Blame Game BBC Radio Ulster
SILVER: Six Dad’s RTÉ Radio 1
BRONZE: Future Proof ‘Chances’ Newstalk
C7
Craoltoireacht le Gaeilge
GOLD: Fear Bean nó Idir Eatarthu RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
SILVER: Go Domhain San Fharraige RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
BRONZE: Tracy Clifford 2FM
C8
Interactive Speech Programme
GOLD: Lunchtime Live Newstalk
SILVER: The Neil Prendeville Show – A Mansion on a Hill Red FM
BRONZE: Phoneshow FM104
D1
Community/Social Action
GOLD: Dublin Life FM104
SILVER: Wish Week Classic Hits
BRONZE: Giving for Living Radiothon Cork’s 96FM
D2
On-Air Competitions/Promotions
GOLD: The Can-A-Da Challenge RedFM
SILVER: Beat the Bomb Spin 1038
BRONZE: Gotta Get it Wrong Spin 1038
D3
Station Imaging
GOLD: FM104
SILVER: 98FM
BRONZE: Newstalk
D4
Entertainment Inserts
GOLD: Strawberry Alarm Clock FM104
SILVER: Gift Grub on the Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show Today FM
BRONZE: Rise and Smile Galway Bay FM
D5
Digital & Social Innovation
GOLD: Gift Grub 2.0 Today FM
SILVER: Are you Watching on the Radio? Ocean FM
BRONZE: Cluas Chiarraí Radio Kerry
E1
Music & Entertainment Presenter of the Year
GOLD: Dara Quilty 98FM
SILVER: Dermot Whelan Today FM
BRONZE: Ray Foley Red FM
E2
Radio DJ of the Year
GOLD: Izzy-Bartak Healey Red FM
SILVER: David Hammond Beat 102-103
BRONZE: Sharon Lynskey iRadio
E3
Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year
GOLD: Tom Dunne Newstalk
SILVER: Ralph McLean BBC Radio Ulster
BRONZE: Kieran McGuinness Radio Nova
E4
News Broadcaster of the Year
GOLD: Karen Patterson BBC Radio Ulster
SILVER: Andrew Lowth Spin 1038
BRONZE: Elaine McGee BBC Radio Foyle
E5
News Reporter of the Year
GOLD: Declan Harvey BBC Radio Ulster
SILVER: Frank Greaney Newstalk
BRONZE: Henry McKean Newstalk
E6
Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
GOLD: Nathan Murphy Newstalk
SILVER: Máire Treasa Ní Cheallaigh Newstalk
BRONZE: Darren Frehill RTÉ Radio 1
E7
Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Local/Regional
GOLD: Eric White BBC Radio Foyle
SILVER: Tim Moynihan Radio Kerry
BRONZE: Debbie Ridgard Beat 102-103
E8
Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
GOLD: Ivan Yates Newstalk
SILVER: Sean O’Rourke RTÉ Radio 1
BRONZE: Sean Moncrieff Newstalk
E9
Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Local/Regional
GOLD: Mark Patterson BBC Radio Foyle
SILVER: Neil Prendeville Red FM
BRONZE: Niall Delaney Ocean FM
E10
Newcomer of the Year Award
GOLD: Sinead Brassil LMFM
SILVER: Declan Wilson Q Radio
BRONZE: Kayte O’Malley Spin South West
F1
Radio Moment of the Year
GOLD: Gerry Ryan Show 2FM 40 Special RTÉ 2FM
SILVER: Neil Prendeville Show – A Bubble of
Brilliant-ness Red FM
BRONZE: Maria Bailey Interview RTÉ Radio 1
F2
Local Station of the Year
GOLD: WLR FM
SILVER: Clare FM
BRONZE: Ocean FM
F3
Music Station of the Year
GOLD: 98FM
SILVER: Spin 1038
BRONZE: Cork’s Red FM
F4
Full Service Station of the Year
GOLD: Newstalk
SILVER: RTÉ Radio 1
BRONZE: BBC Radio Ulster
Speaking about the significance of the event, Chair of the IMRO Radio Awards committee, Tom McGuire said: “The opportunity to recognise and honour excellence in radio broadcasting across the island is what the IMRO Awards gives the industry. The reach of radio in Ireland is up there with the highest internationally and that’s a tribute to all programme makers and a loyal audience. Long may the wireless continue to have the ear of the nation.”
Eleanor McEvoy, IMRO Chairperson said “Each nominee for the IMRO radio awards, knows that they have been put forward by their fellow professionals in radio. I think that this is why the awards are so appreciated and sought after. It’s why the IMRO radio awards have become the most important event in the Irish broadcasting calendar.”
Michael O’Keefe, Chief Executive of BAI said “Tonight’s IMRO Radio Awards event is the highlight of the year for radio practitioners in Ireland. On behalf of the BAI, I would like to congratulate all the nominees and category winners and wish them every success both tonight and in the future”.