*Clare FM’s Derrick Lynch. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
CLARE FM has received six nominations and Ennis reporter John Cooke is up for news story of the year at the IMRO Radio Awards.
A shortlist of 192 was announced on Wednesday morning across 42 different categories for the radio awards.
Last year, John Cooke of RTÉ Radio One who is based in Ennis scooped two gold awards, the news reporter of the year and the news story of the year. Cooke who’s star continues to rise on the country’s most listened to radio station is in the running again for news story of the year, this time it’s for his work on ‘emergency department death trap’.
For the third time, Clare FM was named as local station of the year in 2023. The station is once again shortlisted in this category while also receiving a further five nominations.
Concrete Jungle a documentary which told the story of Clare links to the 9/11 tragedy in new York City which was produced by Padraic Flaherty is shortlisted for best documentary. It is the only submission from a local radio station in this category and faces competition from RTÉ Radio 1, Newstalk and RTÉ Lyric.
Presented and produced by Ennis reporter, Pat Flynn, ‘Atlantic Tales’ is nominated for best magazine programme. A long-serving member of the Clare FM team, Flynn is also the main reporter with The Clare Herald and provides copy to a host of national titles, particularly on the subject of road traffic accidents and emergency responses.
Nominated in the local and regional sports broadcaster of the year category is sports reporter Derrick Lynch. The Kilmurry Ibrickane man heads up Clare FM’s sports output which includes the weekly Sideline View airing on Friday evening and their spread of GAA commentaries on weekends. The Clonbony Junior C hurling manager is also particularly active on the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
Alan Morrissey, presenter of Morning Focus has been nominated in the local and regional speech broadcaster of the year category. The Dublin native who resides in Clonlara joined Clare FM in June 2021 and has hosted Morning Focus since then, succeeding Gavin Grace. A former communications officer with the HSE, he previously worked with Spin South West, Tipp FM and Live95FM.
Clare FM has also been nominated for best short feature for ‘the story behind the song’.
