*Tom Hanley, Jim Collins, Daragh Leamy and Tim Hogan.
SCARIFF BAY Community Radio and Raidió Corca Baiscinn were among the big winners at the Craol Awards.
Both community radio stations received gold in the news and current affairs category for their simulcast broadcast from the local election count centre at Treacy’s West County Hotel.
Further accolades at the Community Radio Ireland Achievement Awards saw SBCR scoop gold for ‘London Calling’ where they broadcast from the home of the BBC and this award was in the social benefit talk category.
RCB also won Gold in the access and inclusion category for ‘RCB hosts National Community Radio Day’. This activity promotes a better understanding of the CnM Licensed Community Radio Stations, their location, profile, the CnM Community Media Policy, and the Social Benefits Framework.
Standout submission awards were also presented to SBCR and RCB on the night.
Jim Collins, station manager of SBCR told The Clare Echo, “We are absolutely thrilled to receive these Craol awards which to my mind honour the work and ethos of everyone at the station. We are particularly delighted to be recognised by our colleagues in other community radio stations throughout the country”.
He added, “We are looking to expand our FM coverage in our franchise area and hope to have a transmitter and studio space available to us in Killaloe early in the new year. We will be actively looking for new volunteers and contributors from the surrounding area to help us enhance our coverage for the community groups in the heritage town. We are in the process of applying to Coimisiùn Na Meàn for a full time FM licence and hope that this recognition from our peers will assist us in this regard”.
General Manager of RCB, Máiréad O’Higgins said the awards were “testament” of the hard work of their staff and volunteers. She stated, “This year we also saw an influx of new people working and volunteering at the Station and learning and enjoying being part of their local community radio. These awards recognise the valuable contribution everyone at the Station has made to our varied and wide programme of entertaining broadcasts over the last 24 years. We will be celebrating 25 years of Broadcasting in 2025 and look forward to many events to celebrate this and hope that everyone in our community and beyond will be part of this”.
Chairperson of RCB, Marlen O’Mahony remarked that “the two Gold awards and outstanding submission awards received at this year’s Féile hosted by CRAOL was testament to the manager, staff and Volunteers for all their hard work and dedication”.
Tulla native Daragh Leamy a presenter with SBCR said the win was “a huge milestone” for the station and that it was “great to get recognition for our work in London”. Sports presenter Tim Hogan added, “it was a great evening and an unexpected reward for discussing our one non Premier League episode of feel fever pitch to hurler on the ditch. It was great to be in the birthplace of football as the Euros were underway”.,
“We are definitely competing at senior hurling level, it was great to receive awards for our joint election coverage with our fellow community station RCB in west Clare. To win a gold award and a second outstanding achievement award for our trip to the BBC in London is the icing on the cake,” said Tom Hanley.
