RTÉ has been honoured with two gold trophies, seven silver, four bronze awards, and 11 finalist certificates at the New York Festivals.
Only four of the 40 awards taken by Irish stations went to independents – with Newstalk winning three for Social Issues (Letter from Midwinter), Human Rights (Do Not Disturb) and History (Angels of Mercy), and Today FM for the Lennon 40 Years On documentary.
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 songwriting 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.”