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THE BEST OF Ireland’s television talent came together last night in a celebration of their work over the last year.
The host for this year’s IFTA Gala Television Awards was comedian Jason Byrne and the ceremony took place at the RDS Concert Hall.
The award for best comedy or soap writer went to Lisa McGee for Derry Girls, which is about a small group of teenage girls growing up in the 1990s in Northern Ireland. The show also won the best comedy award.
Peter Foott, director of the popular Young Offenders show, took the award for best director in comedy or soap. Chris Walley, who plays Jock Murphy in the comedy show also came out with the Male Performance Award.
The winner in the Female Performance category was Sharon Horgan who dedicated her award to “Mná na hÉireann”. TV’s Red Rock won the prize for best soap.
The award for TV presenter of the year went to Marty Morrissey, who said it was “one of the best nights of my life”. He said winning the award was “a great honour”. Morrissey was not on hand to accept his award immediately as he was presenting Bloom Live but gave a speech to the assembled crowd at dinner afterwards.
Gogglebox Ireland, Dancing with the Stars and Room to Improve also all bagged the awards in their categories. Room to Improve presenter-architect Dermot Bannon paid an emotional tribute to teenager Michael Stokes, a previous star of the show who died in an accident just last month.
Broadcaster Shay Healy received this year’s lifetime achievement award for a distinguished career in writing, music, comedy and presenting. Healy, who has been battling Parkinson’s Disease for some years, brought the audience to its feet with a warm and witty acceptance speech, joking that he was glad he had received the award now as “posthumous awards are not all they are cracked up to be”.
The RTÉ Investigates programme Nightmare to Let, which focused on the experiences of people living in sub-standard rental accommodation in Ireland, won in the Current Affairs category.
Actor John Connors gave a fiery speech on accepting the award for his factual series, The Travellers, wondering why human rights activists in Ireland are not doing more to protect the rights of the Travelling community. Making reference to the deaths of Travellers in the Carrickmines fire tragedy and allegations that Traveller children have had their names recorded on the Garda PULSE system without reason, he asked, “Where is the justice and equality for my people?”
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“The host was comedian Jason Byrne”. Comedian!? Seriously? Cholera is funnier than that lad.
@TellingItAsItIs: How himself and Ed Byrne have made career in comedy is baffling.
@TellingItAsItIs: But he is a comedian, that’s his trade. Not saying he is funny, that’s subjective. I mean, look at Taxi Drivers…
@TellingItAsItIs: He’s like an Irish Samantha Bee. Unfunny, cringey and annoying.
@Shimmy Shammy: Marty Morrissey won best TV presenter? Ah here! Now that IS comedy.
@Jodi: at taxi drivers???
Is that meant to be humorous jodi?
@TellingItAsItIs:
Jason Byrne is about as funny as burning orphanage. His whole monologue is:
“D’ya remember dat, d’ya remember dat, who remembers dat?”, and
“Moi ma woulda give me a bleedin box round the head”
I see he’s picked up the goofy glasses as an extra prop
@Rear Admiral: burning orphanage.. love it. Gonna steal that one :-)
@TellingItAsItIs: I’m sure IFTA will look for your approval for its next ceremony given all the achievements in your life!
@Shimmy Shammy: Ed Byrne has got where he is because of Dara O’Briain, riding on the coat tails. They did do road trips that were quite funny..
Lisa McGee deserved the award as did Goggle Box and Red Rock…. But whoever voted for Marty Morrissey or Dancing with the Z-Listers need help!
@Sean Leonard: Dancing show had a load of viewers.
@Sean Leonard: Dancing with the Staff morelike.. Goggle box is people watching people watching TV.. They should get an award for most ridiculous idea ever.
@Sean Leonard: The Young Offenders would have pipped it for me. What talent in the one category! AND Sharon Horgan is killing it!
@Deborah Behan: true
We are a funny people naturally and I know some genuinely hilarious people. It always befuddled me as to how we manage to consistently produce such bland, safe middle of the road comedies and comedians
@Jeremiah Dempsey: maybe it’s you?
@Deborah Behan: maybe it’s me what? It’s pure shite we produce
Wondering why activists aren’t doing more for travellers? Ha ha ha! I wonder why.
Marty Morrissey? Wouldn’t cross the rd to see him,met him once enough said
The only good thing about derry girls was sister micheal she should have her own show, as for the young offenders it was okish both not that funny!
Did anyone turn up for their awards?
@Paul Furey: nobody important did.
@Paul Furey: Because Jason Byrne was the only one to turn up, he got to present the awards as well.
John Connors passionate speech, Bet it was about the poor Travellers
When I think of these events, it reminds me of the Jimmy Savilles of this world, who with a modicum of talent and a massive ego, managed to keep himself in the limelight for years.
Never mind the IFTAs – does television even have a future? Load of biased overpaid windbags.
John Connors and his Travellers rights speech!? Travellers have the same rights to go to school and get a job like the rest of us. They can even pay taxes, use bins and tax and insure their cars too!
Really in all honesty the IFTA awards are a joke…no one who is anyone actually goes to them. For good reason too. They are an embarrassing example of Irish TV…. same old same old. They must do a trawl of the rte canteen before every show to see if anyone wants to do a nicer!
Infairness they had absolutely no competition.
As it is difficult to provide metrics for being a celebrity, what better way to celebrate?
What’s this toxic warning crap? Is for snowflakes? #Moretoxicthebetter
This title should read Jason Byrne is a complete knob
What kind of message do i have to post to get a 10/10 on the toxicometer dealy thing a ma jig
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