BRITISH ACADEMY Award-winning writer Jimmy McGovern, documentary film-maker Paul Watson and Belfast actor Stephen Rea will be among the participants at the Celtic Media Festival which opens in Galway today.
The producer of the Big Brother television series, Phil Edgar Jones, and Neil Mossey, author of the Bebo internet drama series Kate Moder, are also due to attend the three-day event.
The Celtic Media Festival has been billed as a "celebration of broadcasting, film talent and excellence".
The festival aims to promote the languages of Celtic countries, and up to 400 film-makers, producers and broadcasters from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany have been invited.
Now running for 29 years, the festival has been held three times before in Ireland - but for the first time this year it is in Galway.
The organisers say that it will honour achievements in film, television and digital media.
Awards are due to be presented for work in 18 different categories, spanning the entire spectrum from arts documentaries to sports profiles.
RTÉ director general Cathal Goan, head of RTÉ Radio 1 Ana Leddy, director of RTÉ television programmes Clare Duignan, TG4 leascheannasaí Padhraic Ó Ciardha and Raidio na Gaeltachta's Eden Ní Chuireain, are all expected to attend, along with Broadcasting Commission of Ireland chief executive Michael O'Keeffe.
Full details of the awards are available on the www.celticmediafestival.co.uk website.
