The IFTA Gala Television Awards will be broadcast on TV3 on Sunday at 10pm. Highlights of the show include Pat Kenny receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award with tributes from celebrities including Celine Dion; Red Rock receives Best Soap category for second year; Brendan O’Carroll winning Best Male Performance for Mrs Browns Boys, and Bridget and Eamon winning two IFTAs, for Best Comedy and Best Director Soap/Comedy.

The capacity industry crowd was entertained by Al Porter who picked up the Gala TV Rising Star Award; Bob Geldof spoke from the stage about his IFTA winning documentary about Yeats; First Dates Ireland was a popular win for Best Reality, as was Daniel and Majella’s B&B for Best Factual.

Amanda Byram hosted the show, with leading Irish talent from entertainment, broadcast and television in attendance to celebrate the prestigious ceremony, which awarded the highest quality talent with much coveted IFTA statuettes this evening.

The Awards Ceremony will be televised on TV3 this Sunday, October 9th at 10pm.

 After a jam packed and buzzy red carpet with Jedward hanging out with Bob Geldof, and Pat Shortt chatting with Brendan O’Carroll; 23 Academy categories were presented, with Winners including Bridget and Eamon which won Best Comedy and Best Director for Jason Butler; Brendan O’Carroll who won Best Male Performance for Mrs Browns Boys, Sharon Horgan won Best Female Performance and Best Writer (Soap and Comedy) for Catastrophe, Al Porter who won the Gala TV Rising Star Award; Brendan O’Connor’s Cutting Edge won the Entertainment category; Bob Geldof’s W.B. Yeats: A Fanatic Heart won Best Specialist Factual; First Dates Ireland won Reality for COCO Television, who also won Best Documentary Series for the Liam Neeson narrated ‘1916 The Irish Rebellion’.

‘Red Rock’ won the Best Soap Award for the second year; the hugely popular Daniel and Majella’s B&B won Best Reality show; I Am Immigrant won Best Single Documentary in association with BAI. ‘An Klondike’ the popular Drama won the Best Irish Language category;

It was a great night for Irish Television; celebrating a great year for Irish television. The Irish Academy welcomed professionals to the DoubleTree this evening from both in front of and behind the screen, from actors and directors to producers, writers and leading figures from Ireland’s broadcasters, whose work was celebrated throughout.

In the second awards ceremony dedicated exclusively to honouring television talent and sponsored by Gala Retail, Pat Kenny was awarded with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his incredible body of work spanning almost five decades. In this time he has become one of Ireland’s most distinguished broadcasters, having helmed a diverse range of Top rated TV shows; from cutting-edge current affairs programmes such as ‘The Frontline’ and ‘TodayTonight’, to light entertainment and talk shows such as ‘Kenny Live’, ‘Saturday Live’, ‘Pat Kenny in the Round’ and the hosting of legendary ‘The Late Late Show’ for 10 years. Pat was presented with his award by fellow veteran current affairs presenter, journalist and writer Olivia O’Leary.

Mícheál Ó Meallaigh was awarded with an IFTA for his Outstanding Contribution to the Industry and the Irish Language by Gráinne Seoige, for his unparalleled achievements as Commissioning Director of TG4 for twenty years. Micheál’s vision and pioneering of fresh ideas and approaches has enabled TG4 to commission new and accessible Irish language content, which is not only beginning to compete with contemporary English drama, but travel to international audiences.

Guest presenters included Gala TV Rising Star Nominees Darren Kennedy, Al Porter, Vogue Williams, Angela Scanlon, Máire Treasa Ní Dhubhghaill and Kevin McGahern. Pat Shortt, Gráinne Seoige, Patrick Bergin, Kathryn Thomas, Karen Koster, Maura Derrane, Mark Cagney, Jedward, Olivia O’Leary, Amanda Brunker, Tony Tormey, Denise McCormack, Maria Walsh, Zoe Salmon, Miriam O’Callaghan, Gary Desmond, Brendan O’Connor, Elaine Crowley, Ardal O’Hanlon, and Rory Cowan also presented.

Among those in attendance were Claire Byrne, Aisling O’Neill, Jennifer Zamparelli, Nadia Forde, Lucy Kennedy, Roisín O’Donovan, Bob Geldof, The Rubberbandits, Joe Duffy, John Connors, Deirdre O’Kane, Baz Ashwamy, Kevin McGahern, Enda Oates, Martin King, Rachel Wyse, John Creedon and Gary Cooke.

The official title Sponsor of the IFTA Gala Television Awards is Gala Retail.

The Full IFTA Gala TV Awards 2016 Winners List:

MALE PERFORMANCE

Brendan O'Carroll - Mrs Browns Boys

REALITY AND CONSTRUCTED FACTUAL

First Dates Ireland - COCO Television

DOCUMENTARY SINGLE in Association with BAI

I Am Immigrant - Motive Television

FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Sharon Horgan - Catastrophe

ENTERTAINMENT 

Brendan O’Connor’s Cutting Edge

FACTUAL 

Daniel & Majella's B&B Road Trip

CURRENT AFFAIRS

RTÉ Investigates - Standards in Public Office - RTÉ

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S 

My Life Champion of the World - Tyrone Productions

ANIMATION

The Day Henry Met - Wiggleywoo

COMEDY

Bridget & Eamon

IRISH LANGUAGE

An Klondike - Abú Media

WRITER - SOAP AND COMEDY

Sharon Horgan - Catastrophe

EDITING - TELEVISION

Úna Ní Dhonghaile - An Innocent Man

SOUND - TELEVISION

Deoch an Dorais - Dean Jones, Colm O'Rourke and John Brennan

CAMERA - TELEVISION

 Michael O’Donovan  - These Walls Can Talk

DIRECTOR - SOAP AND COMEDY

Jason Butler – Bridget & Eamon

DIRECTOR TELEVISION

Gerry Nelson – Wild Cities

DOCUMENTARY SERIES

1916: The Irish Rebellion - COCO Television

GALA TV RISING STAR WINNER

Al Porter

SPORTS 

Hidden Impact: Rugby and Concussion -  Wildfire Films

NEWS

Ireland Live News @ 5:30 - Brexit Special - UTV

SPECIALIST FACTUAL

A Fanatic Heart: Bob Geldof on WB Yeats

LIVE EVENT

 Centenary - RTÉ

SOAP AND CONTINUING DRAMA

Red Rock

Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners.