The shortlists for the 2024 IMRO Radio Awards have been released, the awards as always helping to celebrate the very best of what’s happening in the Irish radio world.
A: Music Programming Awards
A1: General Music Programme
- Dave Moore on Today FM (Today FM)
- Gareth O’Callaghan (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
- On the Move with Kayte O’Malley (Galway Bay FM)
- Ray Foley on Today FM (Today FM)
- The Nova Lunchbreak with Dee Woods (Radio Nova)
A2: Specialist Music Programme
- Block Rockin Beats with Dec Pierce (Today FM)
- Europop – The Neil Hannon Show (BBC Radio Ulster)
- FM104’s Freaks with Al Gibbs (FM104)
- In the Mix with Marty (SPIN 1038)
- The Tom Dunne Show (Newstalk)
A3: Breakfast Programme
- Colm and Lucy in the Morning (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
- iRadio in the Morning with Cooper and Oonagh (iRadio)
- Morning Glory with PJ Gallagher and Jim McCabe (Radio Nova)
- RedFM Breakfast with KC (Cork’s RedFM)
- The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show (Today FM)
A4: Music Special / Music Event
- 25 Years is a Long Way Baby (Midlands 103)
- Chuck Berry, in a Field, in Ballisodare (Ocean FM)
- Classical Connections – Seamus Heaney Special (BBC Radio Ulster / Radio Foyle)
- Today FM Celebrating Sinéad O’Connor (Today FM)
- Today FM’s Big Busk for Focus Ireland (Today FM)
A5: IMRO Irish Music Programme or Initiative
- 21 Beats on Beat 102-103 (Beat 102-103)
- All Irish with Claire Beck (Today FM)
- iLove Irish (iRadio)
- Mise Sessions (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Plugged In Lyra Special (Galway Bay FM)
B: News & Sports Programming Awards
B1: News Story / News Event
- A Tornado in Leitrim (Ocean FM)
- Dublin Riots (Newstalk)
- Emergency Department Death Trap – John Cooke RTÉ Radio 1 (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Gone with the Wind (Shannonside Northern Sound)
- The Arrest of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (BBC Radio Ulster)
B2: News Programme – Full Service
- After the Flood – RTÉ Radio News At One (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Breakfast Briefing (Newstalk)
- Dublin Riots – Eye Witness Accounts and Reaction – Morning Ireland (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Newstalk’s Dublin Riots Special (Newstalk)
- The Arrest of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (BBC Radio Ulster)
B3: News Programme – Local/Regional
- Cork’s 96FM News Extended Bulletin (Cork’s 96FM)
- FYI Galway – Blockades, Bottles and Birthdays (Galway Bay FM0
- Mass Day of Strike Action (BBC Radio Foyle)
- Q102 Lunchtime News (Dublin’s Q102)
- Waterford @ 6 – 30 Year Search for Imelda Keenan (WLR FM)
B4: Current Affairs Programme – Full Service
- Newstalk Breakfast (Newstalk)
- The Hard Shoulder (Newstalk)
- The Last Word with Matt Cooper (Today FM)
- The Late Debate -The Dublin Riots (RTÉ Radio 1)
- The Pat Kenny Show (Newstalk)
B5: Current Affairs Programme – Local/Regional
- Midlands Today (Midlands 103)
- North West Today (Ocean FM)
- The Michael Reade Show (LMFM)
- The Nine ’til Noon Show with Greg Hughes (Highland Radio)
- Tipp Today (Tipp FM)
B6: Sports Story
- Doubters to Believers – Jurgen, Liverpool and the Irish Reds (Dublin’s Q102)
- Monaghan Day (Shannonside Northern Sound)
- Ón Taobhlíne OB Live from GAA World Games in Derry (BBC Radio Ulster)
- The Rise and Fall of Vera Pauw (Newstalk)
- When Rio Came to Rovers (Ocean FM)
B7: Sports Programme – Full Service
- Chapters of Magnificence (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Game On (RTÉ 2FM)
- Off The Ball (Newstalk)
B8: Sports Programme – Local/Regional
- Radio Kerry Weekend Sport (Radio Kerry)
- The Final Whistle – How the West Was Won (Ocean FM)
- The Men of ’23 (Galway Bay FM)
- The Score with Trevor Welch (Cork’s 96FM)
- Up for the Match (C103 Cork)
C: Speech Programming Awards
C1: Documentary
- 35 Years of GCN (Newstalk)
- Concrete Jungle (Clare FM)
- Documentary on One: Fear and Mistrust (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Leesa: Last One on the Train (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Queen of Nightclubs (Lyric Feature) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
C2: Music, Arts & Culture Documentary
- Are You Blind or What? (Midlands 103)
- Building a Ballet (The Lyric Feature) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
- Give Kate Bush Back to the Irish (BBC Radio Ulster)
- Louder Than Bombs – The Smiths in Ireland, Nov 84 (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Magic on a Winter’s Night (Lyric Feature) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
- The Trashcan Sinatras (Radio Nova)
C3: Short Feature
- Henry McKean Reports (Newstalk)
- Poetry People Reports Dave MacArdle (RTÉ Radio 1)
- The Greatest Gender Benders of Music (Radio Nova)
- The Story Behind The Song (Clare FM)
- Where Life Sounds Greener (RTÉ Lyric FM)
C4: Magazine Programme
- Atlantic Tales (Clare FM)
- Moncrieff (Newstalk)
- Saturday View (Midlands 103)
- Saturday with John Toal – Christmas at John’s (BBC Radio Ulster)
- TY Takeover (Galway Bay FM)
C5: Drama
- Assume Nothing: The Handler – Six Months in Hell – Episode 2 (BBC Radio Ulster)
- Drama On One – Helen Wheels by Fionn Foley (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Miracle On McCurtain Street – Lorraine and Ross (Cork’s 96FM)
- Sandwich (Newstalk)
- Shinaid (RTÉ Radio, Drama on One)
C6: Specialist Speech Programme
- Alright, Pet? (BBC Radio Ulster)
- Feather and Flock (Lyric Feature) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
- FM104’s Come In (FM104)
- Futureproof (Newstalk)
- The Home Show (Newstalk)
C7: Craoltóireacht le Gaeilge
- Cosán na mBan (RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta)
- Hit 30 (SPIN 1038)
- Ón Domhan Thíos (RTÉjr / RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta)
- Splanc le Cuán Ó Flatharta (Newstalk)
- The Magic of An Ríocht (Radio Kerry)
C8: Interactive Speech Programme
- Liveline (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Lunchtime Live (Newstalk)
- Night Time Talk with Lauren O’Sullivan (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
- One Giant Leap on The Neil Prendeville Show (Cork’s RedFM)
- The Stephen Nolan Show (BBC Radio Ulster)
C9: Sustainability
- Ecolution (RTÉjr Radio)
- Gardeners’ Corner with David Maxwell (BBC Radio Ulster)
- Public Transport in 90 Minutes (98FM)
- Waterford in Action – A Climate Discussion (WLR FM)
- We Only Want The Earth (Lyric Feature series) (RTÉ Lyric FM)
D: General Awards
D1: Community/Social Action
- 2FM – Stand Up Awareness Week (2FM)
- 98FM’s Best of Dublin Awards (98FM)
- Blue Monday (98FM)
- Cork’s 96FM Giving for Living Radiothon (Cork’s 96FM)
- Men’s Health Matters (WLR FM)
D2: On-air Competition/Promotion
- Back to the Future – Simon Harris Day (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
- Dead Air (98FM)
- FM104’s Quid Games with Graham and Nathan (FM104)
- Gift Grub Turns 25 (Today FM)
- The Grand Tour (iRadio)
D3: Station Imaging
- Cork’s 96FM
- FM104
- Radio Nova
- SPIN 1038
- Today FM
D4: Entertainment Inserts
- A Very Moore-y Christmas (Today FM)
- Emma, Dave and Aisling’s Swaptember (SPIN 1038)
- Gift Grub on The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show (Today FM)
- RedFM Breakfast with KC – The 10 Past 8 Bits (Cork’s RedFM)
- This Is – Lorraine and Ross in the Morning (Cork’s 96FM)
D5: Digital & Social Innovation
- Beat’s Digital Media Literacy Tour (Beat 102-103)
- Dave & Fionnuala’s Grand Tour (iRadio)
- Emma, Dave & Aisling’s Swaptember – Dave’s Dream Day (SPIN 1038)
- FM104’s Quid Games with Graham and Nathan (FM104)
- Inner Drive (Newstalk)
D6: Radio Station Podcast of the Year
- Inside Ireland’s Rising Right (Newstalk)
- Inside the Crime (Newstalk)
- Let Me Explain with Sean Defoe (Newstalk)
- Runaway Joe (RTÉ Radio 1)
- The Real Carrie Jade (RTÉ Radio 1)
E: People Awards
E1: Music & Entertainment Presenter of the Year
- Dave Duke (iRadio)
- Emma Nolan (SPIN 1038)
- Graham O’Toole (FM104)
- Ian Dempsey (Today FM)
- KC (Cork’s RedFM)
E2: Radio DJ of the Year
- Brian McEvoy (Cork’s 96FM)
- Eve Blair (BBC Radio Ulster)
- Jess Spencer (SPIN 1038)
- Louise Duffy (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Simon Murdoch (Cork’s 96FM)
E3: Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year
- Ann Marie Kelly (Midlands 103)
- JJ O’Shea (Radio Kerry)
- Kieran McGuinness (Radio Nova)
- Ralph McLean (BBC Radio Ulster)
- Stephen McCauley (BBC Radio Ulster)
E4: News Broadcaster of the Year
- Alex Rowley (SPIN 1038)
- Chris Buckler (BBC Radio Ulster)
- Declan Harvey (BBC Radio Ulster)
- Fionnuala Corbett (iRadio)
- Shane Beatty (Newstalk)
E5: News Reporter of the Year
- Barry Lenihan (RTÉ Radio 1)
- Cian McCormack (RTÉ Radio 1)
- David Nevin (Galway Bay FM)
- Henry McKean (Newstalk)
- Sheila Naughton (Newstalk)
E6: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
- Aisling O’Reilly (Newstalk)
- Eoin Sheahan (Newstalk)
- John Duggan (Newstalk)
- Nathan Murphy (Newstalk)
E7: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Local/Regional
- Austin O’Callaghan (Ocean FM)
- Derrick Lynch (Clare FM)
- Donal Ryan (Ocean FM)
- Eric White (BBC Radio Foyle)
- Tim Moynihan (Radio Kerry)
E8: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
- Andrea Gilligan (Newstalk)
- Ciara Kelly (Newstalk)
- Pat Kenny (Newstalk)
- Sean Moncrieff (Newstalk)
- William Crawley (BBC Radio Ulster)
E9: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Local/Regional
- Alan Morrissey (Clare FM)
- Mark Patterson (BBC Radio Foyle)
- Neil Prendeville (Cork’s RedFM)
- Niall Delaney (Ocean FM)
- Patricia Messinger (C103 Cork)
E10: The Gay Byrne Award – Newcomer of the Year
- Dan Dooner (Shannonside Northern Sound)
- Gary Brennan (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
- Luke Delaney (Dublin’s Q102)
- Nicky Manley (Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio)
- Zeinab Elguzouli (FM104)
F: Station of the Year Awards
F1: Radio Moment of the Year
- Go Back to Your Country – Exposing Exploitation (LMFM)
- Liveline – Live from the Stardust Verdict (RTÉ Radio 1)
- The Portal’s Funeral (SPIN 1038)
- Who Cares for the Carers? (Newstalk)
- Why Me? (LMFM)
F2: Local Station of the Year
- Shortlisted entries will be revealed on the night
F3: Music Station of the Year
Shortlisted entries will be revealed on the night
F4: National Station of the Year
- Shortlisted entries will be revealed on the night
This year’s awards are back in Lyrath Estate in Kilkenny on Friday 4 October. A full list of winners from the 2023 IMRO Radio Awards can be found here.
