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Jacob's Awards

The Jacob's Awards were instituted in December 1962 as the first Irish television awards. Later, they were expanded to include radio. The awards were named after their sponsor, W. & R. Jacob & Co. Ltd., a biscuit manufacturer, and recipients were selected by Ireland's national newspaper television and radio critics. Award winners were chosen annually until 1993, when the final awards presentation took place.

Winners of a Jacob's Award include Fionnula Flanagan (1965), Gay Byrne (1979), and Brendan Gleeson (1992). The record for the most awards won is held by Gay Byrne, who was honoured six times between 1963 and 1981.

History

Telefís Éireann was launched as Ireland's first indigenous television station on 31 December 1961. Three months later, it was announced by W. & R. Jacob & Co. Ltd. that they intended to sponsor an award for outstanding contributions to the new medium. According to a retired journalist, Éanna Brophy, public relations consultant and Radio Éireann presenter Frankie Byrne was a key organiser of the awards throughout their existence. Each year separate panels of radio and television reviewers from Irish newspapers met several times in the boardroom of Jacob's, where Byrne presided as panellists debated each other's nominees, and selected winners at the final meeting.

According to former Jacob's chairman, Gordon Lambert, Frankie Byrne actually started the awards in 1962 and her role in their eventual longevity seems to have been crucial. This is borne out by the fact that no ceremonies took place following Byrne's death in December 1993. Recalling her involvement in the awards five years after her death, television critic Tom O'Dea summed up her unique contribution: "I think it is no skin off anyone's nose to accord her the distinction of giving the awards night the character it had, wheelchairs for the irretrievably drunken, and all."

On 4 December 1962, the first awards ceremony took place at the sponsor's headquarters in Dublin. There were nine winners, chosen by a panel of national newspaper television critics. Each winner received an award designed by the artist, Richard Kingston. This consisted of a silver St. Brigid's Cross mounted on a base of bog oak and Connemara marble.

The Jacob's Awards honoured teams of programme makers as well as individuals. For instance, in 1962, Telefís Éireann's Sports Department won an award for its general coverage during the station's first year of broadcasting. In 1965, a limit of eight annual awards was set, and the critics also decided not to confine themselves to fixed categories in making their selections.

A special 'Golden Trophy' was introduced in 1966 to recognise exceptional performance. This was awarded every five years, although it was dropped in the mid-1980s.

In 1969, the number of awards was increased to a maximum of thirteen in order to incorporate radio. A separate panel of national newspaper radio critics was formed to choose recipients of the new award, a highly polished, white metal cylinder designed by Robert Costelloe. This was replaced in 1981 by a trophy comprising a painted canvas mounted on a stainless steel background, designed by Theo McNab.

For most of their history, Jacob's Awards were awarded to programmes broadcast on RTÉ because the national state broadcaster held a monopoly in Ireland. However, in 1989, commercial radio was introduced, and RTÉ's monopoly in sound broadcasting was broken. The critics responded by widening the scope of the awards to include the new local stations. RTÉ did not face indigenous competition in television until the advent of TV3 in 1998, by which time the Jacob's Awards had ended.

Awards ceremony

In early years, awards were presented in Jacob's factory; later they moved to a hotel, usually in Dublin. In the 30 years of its existence, compères of the annual Jacob's Awards event included Hilton Edwards and Frank Hall. Winners were presented with their awards by a senior member of the Irish government, sometimes the taoiseach of the day (Jack Lynch in 1977, for example).

Due to the "economic circumstances of the sponsoring company", the 1983 and 1984 awards were presented at a single event, which took place on 22 February 1985.

What turned out to be the final awards ceremony took place in Dublin on 11 November 1993. The Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Michael D. Higgins, presented the awards on that occasion. No formal announcement was made by the sponsor about the future of the awards so the reason they were terminated is unknown. However, the death of Frankie Byrne shortly after the 1993 event may have been a factor.

Controversy

The 1970 awards were attended by some controversy. Eoghan Harris refused to accept an award for his production of the Irish-language current affairs programme, . In a statement issued on the day of the awards ceremony, Harris criticised RTÉ for its involvement with commercial sponsorship. However, five years later his attitude changed and he accepted a second award for a special report on 7 Days.

Also in 1970, guests arriving at the awards ceremony were confronted by a picket of 50 female employees of W. & R. Jacob who were protesting against the cost of the banquet. One picketer carried a placard bearing the legend: "Only room at the inn for the in-people".

In 1990, RTÉ threatened to pull out of its longstanding practice of broadcasting the awards ceremony because of the involvement of Tánaiste, Brian Lenihan. Lenihan had been invited to present the awards in his capacity as Tánaiste and Minister of Defence. However, in the meantime, he was chosen by Fianna Fáil as that party's candidate in the forthcoming Irish presidential election. RTÉ claimed that going ahead with its planned broadcast would give unfair additional publicity to Lenihan, leaving the station in breach of its own guidelines on election coverage. After a brief stand-off, Lenihan agreed to withdraw from the awards ceremony. He was replaced by Minister for Labour, Bertie Ahern.

Winners – multiple awards

Six

  • Gay Byrne (1963, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1981)

Four

Three

Two

Winners – full details

1960s

1962

Television

1963

Television

1964

Television

1965

Television

1966

Television

  • Michael Viney (maker of documentary Too Many Children)
  • Frank Hall (editor of Newsbeat)
  • Lelia Doolan (producer of The Plough and the Stars)
  • May Cluskey (acting performance in Tolka Row and The Plough and the Stars)
  • Eamonn Keane (acting performance in When do you die, Friend?)
  • Justin Keating (writer and presenter of )
  • Stuart Hetherington ("for his outstanding film work")
  • Andreas Ó Gallchóir (producer of On Behalf of the Provisional Government)

Golden Trophy

1967

Television

  • John Cowley (acting performance in The Riordans series)
  • John Healy (scriptwriter for Headlines and Deadlines)
  • (television lessons for schools)
  • Muiris Mac Conghail (producer of current affairs programme 7 Days)
  • (Irish: "Out Under the Sky") (wildlife series)
  • The Forsyte Saga (BBC drama series, adaptation of novels)

1968

Television

1969

Radio

  • Diarmuid Ó Muirithe (presenter of )
  • Andy O'Mahony ("for his consistently high standard in broadcasting and presentation")
  • Noel Ó Briain (producer of )
  • Máire Ní Mhurchú ("for the intuitive sympathy she shows towards those to whom she talks and the manner in which she conveys her enjoyment in broadcasting").
  • Ciarán Mac Mathúna ("for his work in the discovery and conservation of traditional Irish music")
  • Mike Burns (news and current affairs)
  • A. J. Potter (composer of )

Television

1970s

1970

Radio

  • Rick Walshe
  • John Bowman
  • Pat Sweeney
  • Rhoda Coghill
  • P. J. O'Connor
  • Aidan Grennell

Television

1971

Radio

Television

  • Brian Mac Lochlainn (producer of A Week in the Life of Martin Cluxton)
  • Canon J. G. McGarry (contributor to Outlook, religious series)
  • Michael Ryan (presenter of Enterprise)
  • Alpho O'Reilly (designer of 1971 Eurovision Song Contest)

Golden Trophy

1972

Radio

Television

  • Pan Collins (researcher on The Late Late Show)
  • Noel Smyth (producer of Encounter)
  • Rory O'Farrell (film editor of Belfast 1972)
  • Mike Twomey (cast member on Hall's Pictorial Weekly)
  • Frank Duggan (cast member on Hall's Pictorial Weekly)
  • Paddy Gallagher (presenter of Report, current affairs series)

1973

Radio

  • Roibeard Ó Faracháin (Controller of Radio Programmes for "his defence of free speech since the early days of broadcasting and for his aesthetic sense in encouraging programmes like the Thomas Davis lectures")
  • Kieran Sheedy (editor of Imprint)
  • Tommy O'Brien (presenter of Your Choice and Mine)
  • Olivia O'Leary (news reporter)

Television

1974

Radio

  • Eoin Ó Súilleabháin (acting performance in The Father)
  • Aine McEvoy (producer of Church in Action, religious affairs programme)
  • Norris Davidson (opera commentaries)
  • Neasa Ní Annracháin ("for her outstanding contribution to a distinguished company of actors")
  • John O'Donovan (host of Dear Sir or Madam, listener feedback programme)
  • Joe Linnane ("long and meritorious service to broadcasting")

Television

1975

Radio

  • Diarmuid Peavoy (Listen and See - programme for the blind)
  • Michael O'Callaghan (My Own Place)

Television

1976

Radio

  • Gay Byrne (for The Gay Byrne Show)
  • Eavan Boland (The Arts Programme)
  • Tom McArdle (Knock at the Door - pre-school programme)
  • Padraic Ó Raghallaigh ("for the sustained excellence of his interview series")

Television

Golden Trophy

1977

Radio

Television

1978

Radio

Television

1979

Radio

  • Morgan O'Sullivan (presenter of Late Date)
  • Marian Finucane (presenter of Women Today)
  • Dan Treston (producer of The Secret Garden)
  • Pat Feeley ("for his programmes on Irish social history")

Television

1980s

1980

Radio

  • Kevin O'Kelly (presenter of Addendum - religious affairs series)
  • John Skehan (presenter of Play It Again, John - extracts from the radio archive)
  • Anne Daly (reporting of Archbishop Romero's funeral)
  • Dave Fanning (disc jockey)
  • Mike Murphy (for his early morning radio show)

Television

1981

Radio

  • Harry Bradshaw (presenter of Folkland and The Long Note)
  • Andy O'Mahony (presenter of Page by Page and The Church in Action)
  • John Bowman (presenter of Day by Day)
  • Pat Kenny (for "evidence of unusual versatility" as presenter of Saturday View on RTÉ Radio 1, The Kenny Report and The Outside Track, both on RTÉ 2fm)

Television

Golden Trophy

  • Gay Byrne ("in recognition of his outstanding broadcasting achievements on both radio and television")

1982

Radio

  • Donal Flanagan (producer of Introspect series)
  • Ray Lynott (presenter of A Traveller's Tunes)
  • Des Kenny (presenter of Ask About Gardening)
  • William Styles (producer of radio adaptation of James Joyce's Ulysses)

Television

1983

Radio

  • Jim Fahy ("for unearthing treasures from our tradition in Looking)
  • Mark Cagney (RTÉ 2fm disc jockey)
  • Caroline Murphy (sports commentator)
  • Betty Purcell (presenter of Talk Back)
  • Venetia O'Sullivan (In Love with Ireland - documentary on Arnold Bax)

Television

1984

Radio

  • Siobhan McHugh/Shay Healy (producer and presenter of Strawberry Fields Forever - documentary series on the 1960s)
  • Padraic Dolan (documentary maker You Can't Live on Love - programme on unemployment)
  • Julian Vignoles ("for demonstrating the creative role which the producer can play in many areas on radio")
  • Michael Littleton (for development of The Thomas Davis Lectures)

Television

  • Bob Quinn (scriptwriter and director of Atlantean)
  • Ciana Campbell (presenter of Access)
  • J. Graham Reid (writer of The Billy Trilogy)
  • Joe O'Donnell (creator and producer of Bosco)

1985

Radio

Television

  • Muiris Mac Conghail (for - documentary on the Blasket Islands)
  • Michael O'Connell (producer of Shadows - series on Victorian Ireland)
  • Niall Mathews (producer of Live Aid for Africa)
  • David Shaw Smith (film-maker and producer of English Silk)
  • Nuala O'Faolain (producer of Plain Tales)

1986

Radio

  • Andy O'Mahony (presenter of Books and Company)
  • BP Fallon (presenter of The BP Fallon Orchestra)
  • Colette Proctor (acting performance in The Far Side of the Moon)
  • Brendan Balfe (presenter of The Spice of Life documentary series)
  • Larry Gogan (presenter of Ireland's Top Thirty)

Television

1987

No awards listed

1988

Radio

  • John Quinn (series on Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger)
  • Martha McCarron (The Sad, the Mad and the Bad - series on institutional life in Ireland)
  • Colm Keane (American Profiles)
  • Myles Dungan (14-part series Vietnam)
  • Treasa Davison (presenter of Playback)

Television

1989

Radio

  • Anne Daly (reporter on Worlds Apart)
  • Andy O'Mahony (presenter of The Sunday Show)
  • Bill Long (producer of Singing Ark, Flowering Flood - documentary on Dylan Thomas)
  • John MacKenna (How the heart approaches what it yearns)
  • Eamonn Ó Muirí

Television

  • Zig and Zag ("for keeping the children of the nation happy")
  • Alan Gilsenan (documentary on Irish emigrants)
  • Colm Connolly (director, writer and narrator of The Shadow of Béalnabláth)
  • Bernard Loughlin (narrator of The Border - The Great Divide)
  • Shay Healy

1990s

1990

Radio

Television

  • Michael Heney (for a series of documentaries on public issues)
  • Bill O'Herlihy (presenter of Network 2 coverage of 1990 World Cup)
  • Alan Gilsenan (director of documentary on AIDS)
  • Tony Barry (director of TV adaptation of Somerville and Ross' novel, The Real Charlotte)
  • Mary Raftery (reporter on edition of Today Tonight dealing with |Patrick Gallagher's property empire)
  • Stella McCusker (acting performance in Dear Sarah)

1991

Radio

Television

List incomplete (see Talk Page)

1992

Radio

Television

1993

Radio

Television

See also

References