Irish productions have taken centre stage at this year’s New York Festivals Storytellers Gala, with multiple Grand Awards going to broadcasters from Ireland.
Smoke Trail Productions Limited, based in Dublin, won a Grand Trophy in the Documentary: Environment & Ecology category for Buried: The Last Witness, an investigative podcast that uncovers the legacy of toxic chemical dumps in the UK.
The podcast, hosted by Dan Ashby and Lucy Taylor, revealed evidence linking the contamination of British communities and the food chain to US firm Monsanto, with the story hinging on the testimony of a deceased whistleblower.
Another Grand Trophy was awarded to Tested, produced by Irish podcast company Bucket of Eels. The podcast, hosted by Rose Eveleth, investigates the 100-year history of sex testing in sport and features the experiences of athletes including Namibia’s Christine Mboma and Kenya’s Maximila Imali.
Elsewhere in the awards, The Man Who Fell to Earth by UK-based Bafflegab Productions won the Grand Award for Drama Special.
A total of 26 countries were represented in the winners’ list, which celebrates excellence in radio, podcasts, documentaries and audiobooks. CBC/Radio-Canada was named Broadcaster of the Year.
Gold-winning documentaries included Shane MacGowan: The Old Main Drag by Rich Power, further showcasing Irish creativity and cultural storytelling on a global platform.
The virtual awards gala was held on May 22 and featured highlights from top entries, acceptance speeches and jury insights. Winners were selected by an international panel of over 200 radio professionals.
The full list of winners is available at: radio.newyorkfestivals.com/winners