{"id":243017,"date":"2025-03-28T10:46:03","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T10:46:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.tg4.ie\/?page_id=243017"},"modified":"2025-03-28T10:46:03","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T10:46:03","slug":"alan-esslemont-honoured-with-outstanding-contribution-award-at-rts-ireland-awards","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dev.tg4.ie\/en\/information\/press\/press-releases\/2025-2\/alan-esslemont-honoured-with-outstanding-contribution-award-at-rts-ireland-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"Alan Esslemont Honoured with OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD at RTS Ireland Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"1244\" src=\"https:\/\/tg4-docs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/28103311\/Alan-Esslemont-Gradam-RTS-2025-700x1244.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-243012\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tg4-docs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/28103311\/Alan-Esslemont-Gradam-RTS-2025-700x1244.jpeg 700w, https:\/\/tg4-docs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/28103311\/Alan-Esslemont-Gradam-RTS-2025-250x444.jpeg 250w, https:\/\/tg4-docs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/28103311\/Alan-Esslemont-Gradam-RTS-2025-79x141.jpeg 79w, https:\/\/tg4-docs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/28103311\/Alan-Esslemont-Gradam-RTS-2025-120x213.jpeg 120w, https:\/\/tg4-docs.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/28103311\/Alan-Esslemont-Gradam-RTS-2025.jpeg 828w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-ops1Sfxqt0?si=zZS6PM4UYxx5kv5k\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nTG4 is delighted to celebrate the recognition of outgoing Ard-Sti\u00farth\u00f3ir Alan Esslemont, who has been honoured at the RTS Ireland Awards 2025. The award was presented at an event held at the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, on 27 March 2025.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nThis year, Alan Esslemont was awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of his contribution to the development of Irish language media industry. Over his 8 and a half years as Ard-Sti\u00farth\u00f3ir (Director General) of TG4, Alan has played a pivotal role in promoting the Irish language on a national and global stage. His leadership has fostered the growth of the Irish-language creative sector, significantly strengthening independent production in the regions and supporting Ireland&#8217;s regional creative economy.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nAmong his many achievements, Alan established Cine4, an initiative in partnership with F\u00eds \u00c9ireann and Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n, which has brought Irish-language films to global audiences, including An Cail\u00edn Ci\u00fain, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2023. Cine4 films have also gained recognition at the BAFTAs, Sundance, and Berlinale. He has also been instrumental in launching C\u00fala4 channel in 2023, ensuring TG4\u2019s ongoing commitment to younger audiences and the transmission of Irish as a living language. Alan has championed cross-island partnerships, collaborating with Northern Ireland Screen\u2019s Irish Language Broadcast Fund, and served as Chair of the Celtic Media Festival (2019-2024), strengthening ties between Celtic broadcasters.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n<strong>Agnes Cogan, Chair of RTS Ireland<\/strong>, praised Alan&#8217;s legacy: <em>\u201cAt the conclusion of another successful Gradaim RTS\/RTS Ireland Awards, it is useful to remind ourselves of the objectives of the RTS. It is our aim to promote and encourage the achievement of high standards of creativity and technology in television and its allied fields, and no-one has done more in this regard than Alan Esslemont, outgoing \u00c1rd Sti\u00farth\u00f3ir of TG4, who has received our Outstanding Contribution Award, a new award presented for the first time in 2025. Alan\u2019s contribution to the Irish (and international) television scene has been extraordinary in its scope and ambition, and in its achievement. TG4, under his stewardship, is undeniably a major player in media and film, constantly expanding, innovating and enhancing the world of media and communication. We wish him every success in the future, and thank him for all he has achieved in the world of Irish broadcasting.\u201d<\/em><br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nIn addition to Alan Esslemont&#8217;s prestigious honour, TG4 enjoyed a successful evening at the RTS Ireland Awards 2025. The awards recognise the finest achievements in Irish broadcasting, highlighting the strength and creativity of the industry.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n<u><strong>TG4\u2019s Winners at RTS Ireland Awards 2025:<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n<p><strong>Scripted (sponsored by Screen Ireland):<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p><strong>CR\u00c1 (Fibin Media &#038; Zoogon Ltd)<\/strong> &#8211; A gripping murder investigation drama.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Live Sports (sponsored by TVM):<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Rugba\u00ed Beo: Munster v Leinster, Christmas Interpro (Iris Productions)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>TG4 congratulates all nominees and winners for their contributions to the Irish television industry. The recognition at the RTS Ireland Awards reaffirms TG4&#8217;s commitment to fostering creativity, innovation, and the Irish language in broadcasting.<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; TG4 is delighted to celebrate the recognition of outgoing Ard-Sti\u00farth\u00f3ir Alan Esslemont, who has been honoured at the RTS Ireland Awards 2025. The award was presented at an event held at the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, on 27 March 2025. &nbsp; This year, Alan Esslemont was awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":876,"featured_media":0,"parent":236809,"menu_order":14,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/template-pr.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Alan Esslemont Honoured with OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD at RTS Ireland Awards | Press Release | TG4<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Alan Esslemont Honoured with OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD at RTS Ireland Awards | Press Release | TG4\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&nbsp; &nbsp; TG4 is delighted to celebrate the recognition of outgoing Ard-Sti\u00farth\u00f3ir Alan Esslemont, who has been honoured at the RTS Ireland Awards 2025. 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