Waterford TV production company nominated for two awards
Waterford’s Red Shoe Productions has received two nominations at the RTS Ireland Television Awards 2026.
The company has been nominated in the Specialist Factual category for 'Imelda May: Amhráin na nGael' and in the Factual Series category for 'Tarrac na Farraige.'
Both series are also shortlisted for the Audience Choice Award.
Tarrac na Farraige is a four-part observational documentary series following the highs and lows of life at sea through the eyes of professional fishermen working from ports around our coast. It aired on RTÉ.
The series marked the first time many of these hard-working fishermen have allowed themselves to be filmed.
The documentary has been a particularly special project for the team, with a spokesperson from Red Shoe saying the series would not have been possible without the generosity of the incredible fishermen and women who welcomed the crew aboard their boats, and to colleagues at The Skipper, who helped everyone find their sea legs along the way.
'Imelda May: Amhráin na nGael' brought the team on a personal journey across Ireland’s Gaeltacht regions, exploring the Irish language, traditional sean-nós singing, and a reconnection with cultural identity.
In the six-part series, Imelda May embarked on an exploratory and emotional journey across Ireland’s Gaeltacht regions as she challenged her relationship with the Irish language through songs and sean-nós singing.
Along the way, she was joined by expert sean-nós singer and ethnomusicologist Lillis O’Laoire, as well as fellow musicians Liam Ó Maonlaí and Séamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta.
May shared her thoughts on the nomination, saying: “Maggie and I put our whole hearts into making this with the incredible Red Shoe team and our wonderful contributors. This documentary about our language means so much to all of us.”
“This series has been such a personal journey of learning and reconnecting with our language, land, and song. I’ve been so moved by the response from viewers — many told me it inspired them to learn Irish or reconnect with a song or tradition. There’s something beautiful happening around our language, and we’re honoured to be part of it," she said.
Red Shoe Productions is an independent television production company based in the Gaeltacht in An Rinn, led by award-winning owner and director Maggie Breathnach.
The RTS Ireland Television Awards, hosted by RTÉ, will take place on Thursday, April 16, at the Royal Convention Centre in Dublin.
Both of the Red Shoe series are also nominated in the Audience Choice category, with voting open until Monday, April 6.
