Lyric FM series 'The Sea in Song' wins silver for Mary in New York awards

Galway based independent radio producer, Mary Owens, has won a silver prize at the prestigious New York International Awards for her innovative series celebrating Ireland’s maritime song tradition. The Sea in Song was broadcast by RTÉ Lyric FM and funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. The awards were announced this week in New York.

“Irish songs of the sea have travelled back and forth to America, Canada, Australia and many other places around the world. They tell aspects of our social history better than any textbook can. I think that is why the series appealed to an international jury” says Mary Owens of Well Said Productions from New York after receiving her silver prize. The producer, who is originally from Donegal, lives in Indreabhán.

Her series is potent mix of song and story with fresh new perspectives on Ireland’s maritime history and seafaring traditions. It explores Irish narratives in sea shanties and sailor ballads and taps into some hair-raising accounts of life at sea in the 19th century. For the programmes, Mary sifted through the huge collection of Irish coastal songs, including some classics from the Irish language repertoire, to retrieve vivid tales of smugglers, shipwrecks and heroic rescues. The Sea in Song also features some of our most powerful laments and romantic ballads.

Contributors included Jimmy Crowley, John Faulkner, Lillis O Laoire, Aine Uí Cheallaigh, Seán Corcoran, Altan and many more great singers and storytellers.

The Sea in Song was broadcast on The Lyric Feature slot from December 29th –31st 2010. Listeners can still enjoy the series on-line in the Lyric Feature’s 2010 programme archive.