BBC ALBA Up For Eight Top Awards At Celtic Media Festival

This week the Celtic Media Festival kicks off in Newry, Northern Ireland and BBC ALBA are celebrating eight of their programmes being nominated for a range of awards.
The 31st Celtic Media Festival, taking place from 21st - 23rd April, will see the Celtic broadcasting and media world come together to celebrate the languages and cultures of the Celtic countries on screen and in broadcasting.
Among the BBC ALBA programmes nominated is Rapal TV, the youth music show from the BBC which will also be broadcasting live from the festival on Radio nan Gàidheal from 7.30pm on Thursday 22nd April. Rapal will feature live entertainment from the popular Skye based band, Niteworks as well as interviews and performances from other guests at the festival.
Alan Esslemont, Head of Content for BBC ALBA, said: "Having only been on air since September 2008 and receiving a number of nominations both last year and this year, as well as Dè a-nis? from BBC Gàidhlig winning last year’s childrens category, we have been absolutely delighted at the success of the channel to date.
"Being recognised in such a prestigious international media festival is testament to the high calibre of productions by some of the best Gaelic talent in the country and we would like to congratulate all those who have been shortlisted as we look forward with great anticipation to the festival in Newry."
Over 400 nominations were received for awards in 19 categories. BBC ALBA has eight programme nominations in a range of award categories.
Shortlisted BBC ALBA programmes include:

• Tormod: A Life, a hard-hitting documentary about the life and times of Norman Maclean (produced by Robbie Fraser, Pure Magic Films and Karen Smyth of La Belle Allée Productions) nominated in the Best Arts category
• Balaich Eileen (Eileen’s Boys): Factual documentary highlighting the story of well-known actress Eileen MacCallum and her struggle to improve the lives of her two grandchildren as they battle Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (produced by Tony Kearney of Solus Productions) nominated in the Best Factual Single category
• An Iolaire: Moving documentary which tells the story of the UK’s worst peacetime maritime disaster which claimed the lives of 201 soldiers (produced by BBC Gàidhlig) also nominated in the Best Factual Single category
• Lean gu Dlùth (Follow Faithfully): Documentary looking at the history of shinty through the eyes of shinty expert Hugh Dan MacLennan and his links to the game (produced by BBC Gàidhlig) nominated in the Sport category
• Rapal Tbh: BBC ALBA's popular Gaelic music show (produced by BBC Gàidhlig) nominated in the Young People category
• Grinn: Fashion make-over show (produced by Bees Nees) nominated in the Best Factual Entertainment category
• Roghainn a’ Bhàis (The Right to Die?): Drama documentary about notorious 'Moors Murderer', Ian Brady, (produced by STV Productions) nominated in the Best Factual Series
• Cùl nan Dorsan: Comedy (produced by BBC Gàidhlig) which is nominated in the Best Factual Entertainment category

BBC Radio nan Gaidheal which, in addition to being nominated in the Radio Station of the Year category, has received a nomination for Logarbaigh, in the Best Radio Documentary category, and popular presenter John Carmichael has been nominated in the Radio Presenter/Personality category where the competition includes Fred MacAulay of BBC Scotland.
Marion MacKinnon, Managing Editor of BBC Gàidhlig, commented: "We are really proud to be part of the Celtic Media Festival as it marks its thirty-first anniversary and we are delighted to have such a strong range of nominations from the BBC across radio, TV and online and wish all the programme teams and individuals the very best of luck as they compete in this week’s Festival in Newry."
(BMcN/BMcC)