Adam Terry and Brian O’Connell.
ENNIS’ BRIAN O’CONNELL won gold at the IMRO Radio Awards.
A reporter with RTÉ Radio One, Brian’s work in highlighting the delays experienced by the Terry family for Adam (10) who has scoliosis to get vital surgery, touched the hearts of the nation with honest and emotional interviews given by Adam and his mother Christine.
They had dealt with multiple delays for Adam’s surgery since August 2019 and finally underwent surgery in October 2021. In an interview with Brian after the surgery, Adam remarked, “this is the start of the rest of my life”. Tipperary TD, Alan Kelly (LAB) raised the matter with An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin (FF) in the Dáil.
It faced stiff competition to be named ‘News Story of the Year’ at the IMRO Radio Awards. O’Connell’s work took home gold with silver for Cork 96 FM’s reporting on The Owenacurra Case and bronze for RTÉ Drivetime and the reporting of Barry Lenihan on the Kerry Mental Health Scandal.
Educated at Ennis CBS and Rice College, Brian (45) has been living in Cork for the past twenty five years. A two-time author, he is a familiar voice for listeners of Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio One, having began reporting for Today with Sean O’Rourke in 2013. Both of his parents are still based on the Kildysart Rd.
Brian paid a visit to Adam this week to show him the gold award and noted that he was in flying form, “what an impact he and his family have had”.
Adam’s mother Terry was also named as the 2021 Blarney & District Person of the Year following Brian’s reports.
At the IMRO Radio Awards, Clare FM won silver in the Best Local Radio station category.
