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Comedian Jason Byrne hosted this year's ceremony. Michael Chester

Derry Girls and Young Offenders win big at the IFTAs

The ceremony was marked by an emotional tribute from Dermot Bannon to teenager Michael Stokes and a passionate speech by actor John Connors.

THE BEST OF Ireland’s television talent came together last night in a celebration of their work over the last year.

The host for this year’s IFTA Gala Television Awards was comedian Jason Byrne and the ceremony took place at the RDS Concert Hall.

The award for best comedy or soap writer went to Lisa McGee for Derry Girls, which is about a small group of teenage girls growing up in the 1990s in Northern Ireland. The show also won the best comedy award.

Peter Foott, director of the popular Young Offenders show, took the award for best director in comedy or soap. Chris Walley, who plays Jock Murphy in the comedy show also came out with the Male Performance Award.

The winner in the Female Performance category was Sharon Horgan who dedicated her award to “Mná na hÉireann”. TV’s Red Rock won the prize for best soap.

The award for TV presenter of the year went to Marty Morrissey, who said it was “one of the best nights of my life”. He said winning the award was “a great honour”. Morrissey was not on hand to accept his award immediately as he was presenting Bloom Live but gave a speech to the assembled crowd at dinner afterwards.

Gogglebox Ireland, Dancing with the Stars and Room to Improve also all bagged the awards in their categories. Room to Improve presenter-architect Dermot Bannon paid an emotional tribute to teenager Michael Stokes, a previous star of the show who died in an accident just last month.

Broadcaster Shay Healy received this year’s lifetime achievement award for a distinguished career in writing, music, comedy and presenting. Healy, who has been battling Parkinson’s Disease for some years, brought the audience to its feet with a warm and witty acceptance speech, joking that he was glad he had received the award now as “posthumous awards are not all they are cracked up to be”.

Kyran O'Brien Kyran O'Brien

The RTÉ Investigates programme Nightmare to Let, which focused on the experiences of people living in sub-standard rental accommodation in Ireland, won in the Current Affairs category.

Actor John Connors gave a fiery speech on accepting the award for his factual series, The Travellers, wondering why human rights activists in Ireland are not doing more to protect the rights of the Travelling community. Making reference to the deaths of Travellers in the Carrickmines fire tragedy and allegations that Traveller children have had their names recorded on the Garda PULSE system without reason, he asked, “Where is the justice and equality for my people?”

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    Mute Kerry Blake
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    Nov 21st 2013, 6:00 PM

    Was talking to a PIP who said that most interested cannot afford the PIP’s fees let alone come to a settlement with their creditors.

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    Mute Michael
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    Nov 21st 2013, 7:31 PM

    Ireland must be the only country in the world where you need to have money in the bank to pay fees, if you need to enter bankruptcy, how utterly depressing.

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    Mute TheIrishBrain
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    Nov 21st 2013, 8:11 PM

    It’s said that if this government opened a new maternity hospital there would have a 10 month waiting list to get in.

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    Mute Ollie Owens
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    Nov 21st 2013, 7:38 PM

    they are using the 7,500 figure as – “Isn’t this a great service we are offering that 7,500 people have made contact with us. What I see is the fact that 7500 people (and 100,000 visited the website) have felt the need to contact them – isn’t that a totally depressing figure.

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    Mute Dusty O'Brien
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    Nov 21st 2013, 7:47 PM

    Adding up the salaries is about €528 per contact … Another shining example of money well spent

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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Nov 21st 2013, 6:14 PM

    Take this to your Personal Insolvency Practitioner and have an A1 day.

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    Mute Pete McGrath
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    Nov 22nd 2013, 12:17 AM

    In as much trouble as I am with arrears I’ll be damned if I enter into this newly formed, rushed through insolvency service. I fully intend to get myself out of the mess I find myself in, if I have to board up the house myself and stand guard outside it so be it. No one’s gonna come and take it off me, when the trouble I have is not of my doing. What this government, ergo the banks need to understand is that the majority of people who have mortgage difficulties would only too gladly get themselves back on an even keel, given enough TIME. A week may be short in politics, not so for homeowners in trouble.

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    Mute Dusty O'Brien
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    Nov 21st 2013, 7:43 PM

    Nobody is willing to live on the vincentian guidelines either. Most pips will use the framework to come to unofficial agreements and that’ll be about the size of it.

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    Mute Kenneth
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    Nov 22nd 2013, 12:24 AM

    I think this us a disgrace. If someone owes me money I get it back no matter what, send in the debt collectors and usually the money shows up as family members well cars houses etc to cover the costs and rightfully so. Do you think for a second that I would accept some nonsense like this. There are well known people who can collect all monies owed and I always use them. Bankrupt- I don’t do excuses :)

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    Mute Michael Hegarty
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    Nov 22nd 2013, 1:15 AM

    Thing is Kenneth…. Nobody owes you anything because your a bum without a pot to piss in, in the first place…. Egotistical daydreamer!! Goodnight :-) zzzzzzzz

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    Mute Robert William
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    Nov 22nd 2013, 12:13 PM

    The PIP fees is so high. It’s not affordable for all. The Ireland government have to think about this matter. At this condition they can take suggestion from an experience company like Insolvency Guardian (insolvencyguardian.com.au)

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