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March 18, 2011

March 18, 2011

PI Week 11 March 12 - March 18, 2011

BBC Radio Celebrates St Patrick’s Day Programme Information New this week

BBC Radio Ulster celebrates St Patrick’s Day with and the Page 3 BBC Radio Ulster broadcasts live St Patrick’s Day concert with Horslips and the Ulster Orchestra from the Waterfront Hall

BBC NI gears up for NW200 2011 Page 5 BBC Sport NI is gearing up for coverage of this year’s International road races

Jimmy Ellis At 80 Page 7 Gerry Anderson talks to actor on BBC Radio Ulster as he celebrates his 80th birthday

Bob Geldof special on The Late Show With Stuart Bailie Page 9 Bob Geldof talks to Stuart Bailie about his eventful career and life

Calling Readers, Everywhere! Page 10 BBC Northern launches a new Book Group for local readers.

In the third programme of the BBC Radio Ulster series In The Footsteps, on Sunday, March 13 at 1.30pm, journalist Fionala Meredith learns more about the twentieth century writer Helen Waddell, who won world wide acclaim with her study of the Medieval world in the 1920s and 30s but whose legacy is now largely forgotten. She is pictured here at Kilmacrew House with Helen Waddell’s great great niece and current custodian of the Kilmacrew and Helen Waddell estate, Louise Anson.

Hugo Duncan will be bringing his BBC Radio Ulster show live from Mahon’s Hotel in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh for a special St Patrick’s Day programme from 1.30pm-3pm on Thursday, March 17, when there’ll be plenty of craic, spe- cial country music guests and probably a cream bun or two. 2 BBC Radio Ulster celebrates St Patrick’s Day with Horslips and the Ulster Orchestra BBC Radio Ulster broadcasts live St Patrick’s Day concert with Horslips and the Ulster Orchestra

BBC Radio Ulster celebrates St Patrick’s Day, BBC Radio Ulster, Thursday, March 17 at 8pm. .co.uk/radioulser

Horslips will perform with the Ulster Orchestra for an exclusive BBC Radio Ulster concert at the Waterfront Hall on St Patrick’s night. Picture by Conor Horgan.

BBC Radio Ulster listeners can On Thursday, March 17 at 8pm, the Ulster songs from their 1976 album The Book Of Orchestra will accompany Horslips as they Invasions: A Celtic Symphony and their celebrate St Patrick’s Day in style perform some of their best known songs, 1973 album The Tain. Both albums charted this year with an exclusive concert arranged and conducted by Brian Byrne. new territory in the genre, The concert will be broadcast live on BBC which was pioneered by Horslips in the by legendary Irish Celtic rock band Radio Ulster. 1970s. Horslips, performing for the first BBC Radio Ulster presenter John Toal will Acclaimed singer-songwriter Paul Casey, time with an orchestra. host the concert in which Horslips will play from Londonderry, will also perform at the

3 Singer-songwriter Paul Casey will perfom at BBC Radio Ulster’s St Patrick’s night concert at the Waterfront Hall concert with songs from his new album time the band has performed alongside an prospect of hearing the Ulster Orchestra Scrapbook and from his back catalogue of orchestra, adding a classical twist to their pick up on these - in songs like Sideways To albums, including Slow Water. classic repertoire of songs. The Sun, Setanta’s Theme and Trouble.”

Horslips formed in 1970, going on to Flute and keyboard player Jim Lockhart Paul Casey, meanwhile, is looking forward become one of Ireland’s biggest bands says: “We always worked a variety of to sharing the same bill as Horslips. He says: with their fusion of and tra- tonal colour into our music, what with “I’m delighted to be part of this! I grew up concertinas, , pipes and whatever with ‘The Tain’ album, can’t wait to hear ditional Irish music. They are regarded by blending with the electrics. them with the orchestra!” many as the founders of Celtic rock and have maintained a loyal fan base since they “Playing with all the possibilities of an All complimentary tickets to BBC Radio ‘retired’ more than 30 years ago in 1980. orchestra takes that to a whole other level. Ulster’s St Patrick’s Day concert in ’s In recent years the band has reformed and I can’t wait to feel that textural richness, Waterfront Hall have now been allocated. performed both in Belfast’s Odyssey Arena and to hear the band and orchestra playing and ’s 02 Arena. with and against each other. It’ll be a great The concert is presented by BBC Radio night.” Ulster and and can be The band’s exclusive BBC Radio Ulster heard live on BBC Radio Ulster, Thursday, concert this St Patrick’s Day will be the first Horslips bass player Barry Devlin says: March 17, 8pm. “Most of the pieces on The Tain and The Book Of Invasions have strong internal 92–95FM & DAB digital radio, digital TV and themes, so I’m really excited about the online at bbc.co.uk/radioulster

4 BBC NI gears up for NW200 2011 BBC Sport NI is gearing up for our coverage of this year’s North West 200 International road races.

At the launch of this year’s NW 200 the Superstock and Supersport races at BBC are, from left, NW200 Technical Director Mervyn Whyte, rider Michael Dunlop, BBC Sport NI’s Stephen Watson, Shane Glynn, Editor BBC Sport NI and rider Simon Andrews BBC Sport NI is gearing up for 100,000 people witnessing the thrills of A new feature for this year is that the North our coverage of this year’s North road racing on the nine miles of public West online coverage will be provided via roads. the BBC Sport NI homepage, rather than West 200 International road via a dedicated and separate NW 200 site. races. 2011 is the second year of This year BBC Sport NI will continue to our five year contract which sees provide fans with enhanced coverage Shane Glynn, Editor BBC Sport NI said: throughout the week-long festival across “The dedicated North West 200 site the event broadcast across the BBC TV, radio and online. As well as the live worked very well, providing our audience BBC until 2014. and highlights action, there will be reports with fantastic added value content, as well and special features from behind-the-scenes as hosting the live practice and race day Celebrating its 82nd anniversary this year, including interviews and profiles of the action. This site will remain to host the vast the NW200 has attracted fans riders, the fans and the people who make it wealth of archive material we’ve gathered. from all over the world with upwards of one of the sport’s biggest attractions. But the special features, latest news and

5 all the live action will from this year be coming direct from our BBC Sport NI web page, which should make the North West coverage feel more an integrated part of our wider sport portfolio, rather than a separate event. On average during 2011, the BBC Sport Northern Ireland website attracted over 193,000 UK unique users per week. When we secured the rights to the North West 200, we pledged to provide fans with the most innovative, creative and in depth coverage of the races and the week leading up to them, and we aim to continue to build on the success of our coverage thus far.”

Coverage of the NW 200 festival on TV will include a preview programme and two special highlights programmes presented by Stephen Watson and Phillip McAllen featuring all the action from the racing and behind the scenes features on the top teams and riders and coverage from 24 trackside cameras, aerial camera and on-bike cameras. will be available live via the red button hugely exciting television, radio and online BBC Radio Ulster’s Summer Club will service for digital viewers. coverage which reaches millions of people come live from the event on race day, with worldwide. Everyone involved in the coverage of all the races. There will also Technical Director Mervyn Whyte North West 200 would like to thank all the team at BBC for their hard work and be a Friday night preview programme on MBE said, “We‘ve had a fantastic professionalism.” Radio Ulster medium wave. partnership with BBC NI over many years and each year the whole production and BBC Sport Northern Ireland’s Both practice sessions will be live online, presentation team add new and creative service will also provide the latest news and all the races on the Saturday will also dimensions to BBC’s range of NW200 and information during the NW 200 be available live online, while two of them programmes.The end result is high calibre and festival week.

6 Jimmy Ellis At 80 Gerry Anderson talks to actor James Ellis as he celebrates his 80th birthday

Jimmy Ellis At 80, BBC Radio Ulster, Thursday, March 17 at 6.05pm. bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Gerry Anderson talks to veteran actor James Ellis in BBC Radio Ulster’s Jimmy Ellis At 80 on Thursday, March 17 at 6.05pm. James Ellis is one of Northern In Jimmy Ellis At 80, on BBC Radio Ulster Theatre, where he soon became the Ireland’s most respected on Thursday, March 17 at 6.05pm, Gerry company’s leading man. After securing talks to Jimmy about how he paved the way starring roles in such plays as The actors, with a successful career for of Northern Ireland Playboy of the Western World, James then across stage and screen that has actors by making a name for himself on went on to be appointed Director of spanned seven decades. Now BBC stage, film and television, including his Productions at the Group Theatre 1959 but 16-years in the popular police drama Z- resigned shortly after to direct and stage Radio Ulster is celebrating the Cars. Sam Thompson’s play, Over The Bridge, in 80th birthday of the actor with 1960, which the Group Theatre’s board had a special hour-long programme James Ellis was born in Belfast on March deemed too controversial. 15, 1931. After studying at Belfast’s in which Gerry Anderson talks Methodist College and Queen’s University Ellis then left Northern Ireland and was to him about an eventful life and and then the Old Vic, he started soon cast as Dandy Jordan in the BBC career. his acting career in 1952 with the Group production of Stewart Love’s Randy 7 Dandy. The production was also considered controversial and proved to be Jimmy’s big break, helping him to later land the role of Bert Lynch in the popular drama Z-Cars, in which Jimmy stayed for 16 years, from 1962 to 1978.

Another television role Jimmy was to become known for was playing a troubled and violent father in ’s ‘Billy’ plays alongside in the early 1980s.

Throughout his television career, Jimmy has starred in some of the UK’s best-know and much-loved programmes, including , In Sickness And In Health, Ballykissangel and . Film-wise, Jimmy has starred in such titles Jimmy Ellis in the Billy play Too Late To Talk To Billy in 1982 as Priest and No Surrender.

Away from the acting professions, Jimmy is also a writer of poems and prose and a translator.

Producer Michael Bradley says: “As someone who grew up watching Z Cars, it’s a thrill to be involved in this tribute. But it’s more than an actor’s story - James Ellis’s experiences tell us a lot about Northern Ireland past and present.”

Jimmy Ellis At 80 is on BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday, March 17 at 6.05pm.

92–95FM & DAB digital radio, digital TV and online at bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Jimmy Ellis as Bert Lynch in Z-Cars

8 Bob Geldof special on The Late Show With Stuart Bailie Bob Geldof talks to Stuart Bailie about his life in music

Bob Geldof special on The Late Show With Stuart Bailie, BBC Radio Ulster, Monday, March 14, 10pm. bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Fans of Sir Bob Geldof will have plenty of reasons to like Mondays after all, when the music legend joins Stuart Bailie for a special edition of his Monday night programme on BBC Radio Ulster.

The second hour of The Late Show With Stuart Bailie on Monday, March 14, will be dedicated to Bob Geldof as, from 11pm, listeners can enjoy hearing him talk to Stuart about his career which has spanned five decades, from the Boomtown Rats hits of the late 1970s to his most recent album ‘How To Compose Popular Songs That Will Sell’, released earlier this year. Stuart will also play some vintage Boomtown Rats songs as well as material from the new album.

Recorded in the kitchen of his south home, Bob chose some of his favourite songs to be played from artists including Thin Lizzy, the New Dolls, Dr Feelgood, Van Morrison and David Bowie.

Stuart Bailie says: “It was a pure treat to sit Stuart Bailie with Bob Geldof in the singer’s south London home down in Bob’s kitchen and to talk about for a lot of things, but it was lovely to in his homeland. You’ll not hear a more music for a couple of hours. He’s famous connect with Geldof the music fan. That’s withering anywhere else.” what got him talking and thankfully he The Late Show With Stuart Bailie, BBC hardly stopped. He was generous in his Radio Ulster, Monday, May 14. praise of Gary Moore and Phil Lynott, but totally scathing about politics in Ireland and 92–95FM & DAB digital radio, digital TV and how his song ‘Banana Republic’ was banned online at bbc.co.uk/radioulster 9 Calling Readers, Everywhere! BBC Northern Ireland launches a new Book Group for local readers.

As part of celebrations to mark World Book Day (Thursday 3 March, 2011), BBC Northern Ireland has launched a new Book Group for local readers. It will be led by journalist and author Malachi O’Doherty as part of his work as the BBC’s Writer in Residence at Queen’s.

The Book Group will look at the connections between journalism and literature and will include discussions about fiction, memoirs, travel writing and much more besides. A different book will be selected each month and some Book Group events will include an opportunity to meet and chat with authors.

Malachi O’Doherty said: “I think this initiative by the BBC and Queen’s BBC’s Writer in Residence at Queen’s Malachi O’Doherty launches a new Book Group for BBC NI as part University signals a serious consideration of of celebrations to mark World Book Day journalism as literature. And it’s going to be Mark Adair, Head of Corporate and BBC Northern Ireland would like to make fun. Some big name writers are saying they’d Community Affairs said: “Novels, links with already established book or like to come and meet their readers.” memoirs and books of reportage are full of reading groups and it is hoped that they insights into the journalist’s trade. Our new might become part of this initiative – Our first BBC Northern Ireland Book Book Group will look at some of its most whether by following the reading list, celebrated characters and practitioners. Group event will take place in April joining BBC discussion events or by We’ll read widely, combining familiar with 2011 at , Belfast to following all of this activity online at: less well-known titles and enjoying some discuss The Ghost by Robert Harris. Other writerslog.net. lively discussion along the way. Our aim is books that will feature in coming months to celebrate the diversity of journalism and include: Enough is Enough (Mark Lawson); to understand it a little better. You can find out more and register your Henry’s Demons (Patrick Cockburn and interest in the BBC Northern Ireland Book Henry Cockburn); The Imperfectionists “Everyone can get involved by coming Group by emailing [email protected], (Tom Rachman); Towards the End of the along to BBC events, following Book Group going online to writerslog.net or by writing Morning (Michael Frayn); Memoirs of a Not So activities online or by getting your to BBC NI Book Group, Corporate Affairs, Beautiful Daughter (Jennie Murray); Love local book group to adopt our reading list Broadcasting House, Ormeau Ave, Belfast, Me (Garrison Keillor); Scoop (Evelyn selection. No expertise is required, just BT2 8HQ. Waugh); The Shipping News (Annie Proulx) an interest in books and their limitless and Square Peg (Dennis Kennedy). possibilities.” 10

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