GAA documentaries nominated for prestigious IFTA sports gong

TWO GAA documentaries have been short-listed for the Best Sports Programme Award at the Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTA).

Ringy, A Forefront production for TG4 and RTÉ’s Final Words - Hurling ’03 are amongst five nominations.

Ringy recalled the life and times of hurling legend Christy Ring and boasted archive footage which had never been broadcast.

Forefront producer and director Joe McCarthy is delighted with the nod.

“It’s great to get a nomination,” he said yesterday.

“It is very important and we are obviously very happy that the work is being considered for such honours.

“It is very timely because Ringy is coming out on sale on video and DVD in early November.”

And it is a busy week on the awards front for Forefront.

“It has also been nominated in the ESB Media Awards, in the sports documentary section, which will be announced in Dublin next week.

“Ringy was very well-received. We got phone calls from people saying how much they liked it.”

The other GAA work, RTÉ’s Final Words, reflected on the 2003 All-Ireland SHC season from the perspective of the finalists and experts.

TV3’s Go Racing, presented by Brian Gleeson and produced by Highflyer Ireland, is also nominated.

Michael O’Rourke, Horse Racing Ireland marketing director, said: “We have been delighted by the enthusiastic response to ‘Go Racing’. Its short-listing for this award shows TV3 and HRI have succeeded in developing a new type of racing programme for TV viewers and a new way of exploring this great national sport.”

Fearless 3 Irish Special Olympians, made by Power Pictures for RTÉ and Martin O’Neill - Man and Bhoy, An About-Face Media production for BBC Northern Ireland, are also in contention.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony in the Burlington Hotel on Saturday.