Claremorris Community Radio has been awarded funding from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI ), to make four documentaries and series over the coming months.
The funding has been granted as part of the BAI Sound and Vision Funding Scheme, which was established to provide funding in support of high quality programmes on Irish culture, heritage and experience, as well as programmes to improve adult literacy.
Claremorris Community Radio Cúram Cares radio series will document the importance of Cúram Family Centre to the community of Claremorris and was awarded a grant €6,000 from the BAI Sound and Vision Funding Scheme.
Race to Reform is also based on the town of Claremorris, and centres on the sometimes troubled history of the Claremorris Race Course from the early 1900s right up to the modern day. This radio documentary received €4,000 and will explore the various sporting, cultural and commercial clubs that have made the race course their home over the years.
A sum of €4,800 is to go towards the production of The People’s Court. This hour long radio documentary will focus on the short history of the Dáil courts in 1920s Ireland. The programme will take the listener down the road to neighbouring town Ballinrobe, where the first sitting was held, before returning to Claremorris, where a court sitting was dramatically raided in 1921.
Claremorris Community Radio was also granted funding of €6,000 in this round for the production of Claremorris Open Exhibition: Big Art in a Small Town. This documentary and one-off outside broadcast will celebrate the remarkable 35 year history of the Claremorris Open Exhibition, an annual contemporary art exhibition and competition held in the town each year. Each of these four projects are being spearheaded by Aidan Long, and will be broadcast on Claremorris Community Radio over the coming months.
Speaking about the Sound and Vision Funding Scheme, chief executive of the BAI, Michael O’Keefe said, “Investing in home-grown productions is central to the BAI’s programme, and I am delighted to be able to make this fund available to companies like Claremorris Community Radio, as part of our commitment to producing high quality broadcast material.”
The next closing date for the receipt of applications to the Scheme (Round 15 ) is July 13. For application guidelines and further information please visit www.bai.ie
