Navan IFTA win

Two Navan men were celebrating IFTA awards at the weekend following Thursday night's glittering ceremony in the RDS.

Michael McDonagh, manager of Meath Travellers Workshop was part of the team who made 'John Connors, The Travellers' which won the Documentary Series category.

Michael joined actor and presenter, John Connors, Sindy Joyce  and producer Liam McGrath on stage to collect the award.

Michael was one of the main participants in the series which saw a group of Travellers travelling the length and breadth of the country collecting stories and history from other Travellers. 

Tommy Tiernan was one of the actors in the 'Derry Girls' series which won the award for Comedy. Tommy had been nominated for best male performance for that show, but lost out to 'Young Offenders' Chris Whalley. He had also been nominated in the Entertainment Category for 'The Tommy Tiernan Show', but lost out to 'Dancing with the Stars.'

Michael McDonagh said he was over the moon to have won the IFTA, but was devastated to hear the following day that Cllr Joe Reilly, a great champion of Travellers, had died.

'John Connors, the Travellers' was made by Scratch Films for RTE. 

"The documentary gathered up a lot of Traveller history and heritage from around the country," Michael said.

"We were over the moon to have won, it was a brilliant night and we had great support," he said.

It is not Michael's first IFTA. He and Liam McGrath also won an award for 'Blood of the Traveller', also made by Scratch Films, several years ago.

Michael is no stranger to television as he also starred in the TV3 programme 'The Truth about Travellers.'

Michael says that  he is currently in talks about another project, but he cannot talk about it at the moment as it hasn't been finalised.