New Bothy Band Documentary to be Produced Under €1.96m BAI Sound and Vision Scheme

The Bothy Band

New Bothy Band Documentary to be Produced Under €1.96m BAI Sound and Vision Scheme

Funded projects include Hot Press 'Irish Music Month', 'Mise Sessions' on RTÉ Radio 1, and a third season of 'Cuan an Cheoil' from Stiúideo Cuan.

A new documentary on the 1970s traditional music group The Bothy Band will be produced for broadcast on TG4 following the recent funding decisions of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). 

The BAI’s Sound & Vision scheme hosted a special round this year focusing on the Irish music sector, with funding allocated by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD. The funding round also included a provision that at least 50% of the performers and 50% of the creative team would be women. 28 applications were received and 10 projects were successful, amounting to total funding of €1.96m. 

The Bothy Band programme, which will feature a reunion performance, will be produced by Big Mountain Productions. Among the other recipients in the BAI scheme are Irish Music Month, which is a partnership between Hot Press magazine and the IBI (Independent Broadcasters of Ireland) and will see increased Irish music on 24 commercial radio stations; Mise Sessions, an 8-part live music performance show for RTÉ Radio 1 produced by Ray Cuddihy; and Cuan an Cheoil 3, the third series of the radio and video traditional music show hosted by Liam Ó Maonlaí and produced and recorded in Stiúideo Cuan in the west of Ireland. The second series is currently running on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and available here.

There will also be an Irish music awards series titled Uprising, produced by Animo TV Productions and broadcast on Virgin Media Two; a 10-part series for Community Radio Youghal titled The Day the Music Died – A Performers’ Perspective that focuses on the impact of the pandemic; Songs of Ireland produced by Dearg Films for broadcast on RTÉ One and featuring actor and comedian Pat Shortt and Mike Hanrahan of Stockton’s Wing on a musical road trip around Ireland; The Secret Headliner produced by indiepics for broadcast on Virgin Media One; Cé leis an Ceol? produced by Meangadh Fibin and focusing on the musical migrations that have shaped Irish music, to be broadcast on TG4; and Cultural Resonance for Phoenix FM which will focus on artists from Dublin 15.

Commenting on the BAI announcement, Minister Martin said:

The live performance sector has faced severe challenges over the past number of years, and I wanted to ensure a continuation of support measures as well as enabling further collaboration with the broadcasting sector. Not only are the awards announced … a further boost to the music and live entertainment sector, but they also provide further opportunities for audiences to engage through innovative and entertaining content across a variety of national and local platforms.

For further details, view the PDF below or visit www.bai.ie.

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Published on 19 October 2022

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