The Irish Film & Television Academy are set to honour one of Ireland’s most significant broadcast journalists at a special IFTA Tribute event. Entitled ‘Cathal O’Shannon – A Life in Television’ the event will be a celebration of Cathal’s vibrant career working in television and repertoire of work.
The IFTA Tribute event takes place at Dublin’s Conrad Hotel on 22 September 2010. Leading the Academy’s tributes to the legendary broadcaster and hosting an intimate “In conversation…” with O’Shannon will be his friend, former colleague and Lifetime IFTA Member Gay Byrne.
Other invited guests of the Academy include; actors Niall Tobin, Fionnula Flanagan, Sinead Cusack; producer John McColgan; ex-Irish Film Censors John Kelleher and Sheamus Smith; director Paul Cusack; broadcasters Michael Ryan, Tom McGurk, Shay Healy and Vincent Browne; senator Eoghan Harris; filmmaker Eamon De Buitlear; producers Bill Hughes, Larry Masterson, Brian Hayes and Stephen Rooke; Head of RTÉ Corporate Communications Kevin Dawson; BAI Chief Executive Michael O’Keeffe, plus a broad range of Cathal’s Academy peers and industry colleagues.
83 year old Cathal began his journey in television at The Irish Times then moving to RTÉ via a stint at the BBC. O'Shannon has a legacy of work that reveals his dedication to getting to the truth of the matter and his credits include ‘Broadsheet’ and ‘Newsbeat’ on RTE; ‘Tonight’ on the BBC; his infamous interview – ‘Muhammad Ali v Cathal O'Shannon’; and the award winning documentaries ‘Even The Olives are Bleeding’, ‘Emmet Dalton Remembers’ and series such as ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’ and ‘Hidden History’.
Speaking ahead of the event, Cathal commented, “It is always flattering to be acknowledged by your peers - to have contributed something to your profession, and I am very grateful to IFTA for this honour. It is particularly gratifying that it occurs before I pop my clogs!”
IFTA Chief Aine Moriarty said: “We have no doubt that Cathal will savour this special Tribute from his Academy peers, friends and colleagues. It is an indication of the high regard the Irish industry and community has for his work and the personality of the man himself.”
At the event Cathal O’Shannon will be honoured with Lifetime Membership of IFTA, joining prominent industry talents such as Maureen O’Hara, Gay Byrne, Pierce Brosnan, George Morrison, Nuala Moiselle and John Boorman as lifetime Members of the Academy.
More about this event is at www.ifta.ie
For details about joining the Irish Film & Television Academy go to www.ifta.ie/academy
