Local man's show shortlisted for top radio award

There is a strong local connection to the nominees for this year’s IMRO Radio Awards.

The awards celebrate the best in Irish radio programming, and among the nominees is Athlone’s Ian Kenneally, whose show ‘Dunne Talking’ has been shortlisted for the top sports series on national radio, alongside Off the Ball and Inside Sport.

Ian, alongside his colleague Deirdre Hurley, is the executive producer of Dunne Talking, which is hosted by former world champion boxer Bernard Dunne. The series also has local input through the technical support provided by sound engineer Jonathan Callaghan and his Athlone-based company, Swell Audio.

During Dunne Talking’s nine-episode first season, broadcast on RTÉ Radio 1 and available on the RTÉ website, Bernard interviews a diverse range of renowned Irish figures from Kellie Harrington to Donncha O’Callaghan. Olympian Jack Woolley describes how he rose to the top of his sport despite encountering prejudice during international competitions. Jim Bolger details how he became a world-leading racehorse trainer, while Niall Quinn explores the many turning points of his incredible sporting life, from hurling in Dublin to playing Aussie Rules in Melbourne, before making his debut with Arsenal. Ellen Keane talks about the often lonely and unforgiving nature of Paralympic sport, while James McCarthy describes how Dublin’s senior footballers came to win multiple All-Ireland titles after a long period of under-achievement.

Each episode explores the mindset, resilience and experiences of Bernard’s guests – not only the victories but also the setbacks and choices that defined them. Along the way, they discuss topics such as injuries and self-doubt, sexuality and identity, discrimination and mental health, big games and small moments, regrets and opportunities.

Ian, who is currently producing a second season of Dunne Talking, also manages Pegasus Media, creators of The History Show, which returns to RTÉ Radio 1 in October. He is also producing a major eight-part RTÉ Radio series called From Ireland to the Stars. Hosted by broadcaster Flor Mac Carthy, it charts Ireland’s relationship with the wider universe, from pioneering scientists to folklore about the night sky, and from early observatories to today’s space tech industry. The series includes contributions from leading astronomers in Ireland, as well as a range of international figures, from astronauts to the Director General of the European Space Agency.

As with all his shows, Ian is keen to cover events and stories from the Midlands. In recent years, The History Show has featured numerous historians from the region, including Harman Murtagh, Ruth Illingworth, Gearóid O’Brien and John Gibney, alongside many other contributors from a variety of careers and backgrounds.

From Ireland to the Stars, due to be broadcast in 2027, takes a similar approach, including stories about Irish Manufacturing Research in Mullingar, the I-LOFAR radio telescope on the grounds of Birr Castle, and John Ellard Gore, a talented astronomer and writer with links to Athlone.

The winners of this year’s IMRO Radio Awards will be announced on 2 October at a ceremony in the Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny.