Seán Bán Breathnach
Encyclopedia
Seán Bán Breathnach is a radio and television broadcaster and personality in the Ireland
. He broadcasts in the medium of the Irish language
, but is well known to English
speakers in the country.
(RTÉ), the Irish language broadcasters TG4
and the RTÉ national-regional station RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
. He is perhaps currently best known for his radio sports coverage.
He presented the first Irish language pop music programme on Raidió Éireann in 1969 when he was 19 years old and his first television show, Imeall - a bilingual folk music show - soon followed. He hosted the show SBB ina Shuí with Gráinne Gleoite between 1976 and 1982. This was the highest rated Irish language television programme of all times, coming first in TAM ratings in 1979.
Other work in television includes the community based programme Eadrainn Féin (1984–1986) and Scaoil Amach an Bobailín with Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (1990–1993) which attracted a viewership of over 600,000 in 1992.
Since the arrival of TG4, Breathnach has been involved in many programmes, including Cleamhnas (where parents choose partners for their children) and a soccer programme, recounting of the influence of Celts on the modern game. In this series he interviewed Alex Ferguson
, Roy Keane
, Denis Irwin
, Steve Heighway
, Jim Beglin
, Tom Finney
, Norman Whiteside
, Paddy Crerand and many others.
In 1978 he was appointed to RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
staff. He works mainly with the Sports Department and presents the station’s flagship sports programme, Spórt an tSathairn, every Saturday between 2pm and 5pm. This programme features reports, interviews, previews, horse racing results in Ireland and England
as well as the English Premier League results. In 1991, Breathnach won a Jacob's Award for his sports commentaries on Raidió na Gaeltachta.
Since February 2007 Breathnach presents a new hour-long music documentary Siar agus Aniar, on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta as part of the station's ANOCHT fm slot. The programme features major musical acts of the past thirty years or so, Irish and otherwise, including The Beatles
, Simon & Garfunkel, Creedence Clearwater Revival
, The Stone Roses
, Motown, etc.
He was one of the one pundits that said Portumna any chance at beating Ballyhale shamrocks (Kilkenny) in the All Ireland Club semi-final this year. Ollie Canning (Portumna Captain) was quoted on TG4 as saying so, at full time in Thurles after the match.
with his role as Oifigeach Gaeilge for the Galway County Football and Hurling Board.
In the summer of 2007 he took part in RTÉ One
's Charity You're A Star to raise money and awareness for the Carers Association of Ireland. he was the runner-up.
(An Rinn), and she is the daughter of former chairman of the GAA Munster Council, Nioclas Mac Craith. Brighid is also sister to sean-nos singer Carthach Mac Craith (former singer with Danu, and Liam Clancy's son-in-law) and cousin to Aine Ui Cheallaigh (Solo artist in the original Riverdance tour, and lead part in the ill-fated Broadway show 'The Pirate Queen'). His twins Lean and Cárthach both have roles in the TG4 drama series Aifric
'. His eldest daughter Brighid is a part-time presenter on TG4 (An Tuath Nua, Luach ar Linne, and Thar Saile) and the second eldest Katie is teaching in a Gaelscoil in County Carlow
.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. He broadcasts in the medium of the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
, but is well known to English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
speakers in the country.
Broadcasting
Breathnach has presented several television and radio programmes and documentaries for the state broadcasting corporation Raidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(RTÉ), the Irish language broadcasters TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....
and the RTÉ national-regional station RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta , abbreviated RnaG, is the Irish-language radio service of the public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. The station is available on FM in Ireland and via satellite and on the Internet.- History :...
. He is perhaps currently best known for his radio sports coverage.
He presented the first Irish language pop music programme on Raidió Éireann in 1969 when he was 19 years old and his first television show, Imeall - a bilingual folk music show - soon followed. He hosted the show SBB ina Shuí with Gráinne Gleoite between 1976 and 1982. This was the highest rated Irish language television programme of all times, coming first in TAM ratings in 1979.
Other work in television includes the community based programme Eadrainn Féin (1984–1986) and Scaoil Amach an Bobailín with Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (1990–1993) which attracted a viewership of over 600,000 in 1992.
Since the arrival of TG4, Breathnach has been involved in many programmes, including Cleamhnas (where parents choose partners for their children) and a soccer programme, recounting of the influence of Celts on the modern game. In this series he interviewed Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
, Roy Keane
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland....
, Denis Irwin
Denis Irwin
Denis Joseph Irwin is a former Irish football player who is best known for his long and successful stint at Manchester United, where he established himself as one of the most important players in the United team that won a host of domestic and European trophies in his time there between 1990 and...
, Steve Heighway
Steve Heighway
Stephen Derek "Steve" Heighway is a former footballer who was part of the hugely successful Liverpool team of the 1970s.-Life and playing career:...
, Jim Beglin
Jim Beglin
James Martin "Jim" Beglin is a former Irish professional footballer.- Life and career :Beglin played schoolboy football in his native city with Bolton and Waterford Bohs before joining Shamrock Rovers in 1980...
, Tom Finney
Tom Finney
Sir Thomas Finney, OBE is a former English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End, and for his performances in the English national side....
, Norman Whiteside
Norman Whiteside
Norman Whiteside is a former Northern Ireland international footballer who played in two World Cups.He appeared for Manchester United and Everton, before his career was ended by injury at the age of 26. He won the FA Cup twice during his time playing for Manchester United, in 1983 and 1985...
, Paddy Crerand and many others.
In 1978 he was appointed to RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta , abbreviated RnaG, is the Irish-language radio service of the public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. The station is available on FM in Ireland and via satellite and on the Internet.- History :...
staff. He works mainly with the Sports Department and presents the station’s flagship sports programme, Spórt an tSathairn, every Saturday between 2pm and 5pm. This programme features reports, interviews, previews, horse racing results in Ireland and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as well as the English Premier League results. In 1991, Breathnach won a Jacob's Award for his sports commentaries on Raidió na Gaeltachta.
Since February 2007 Breathnach presents a new hour-long music documentary Siar agus Aniar, on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta as part of the station's ANOCHT fm slot. The programme features major musical acts of the past thirty years or so, Irish and otherwise, including The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Simon & Garfunkel, Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
, The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
, Motown, etc.
He was one of the one pundits that said Portumna any chance at beating Ballyhale shamrocks (Kilkenny) in the All Ireland Club semi-final this year. Ollie Canning (Portumna Captain) was quoted on TG4 as saying so, at full time in Thurles after the match.
Craic
Breathnach is often considered responsible for the popularisation of the borrowed Gaelicised word craic in the Irish language. His catchphrase "Beidh ceol, caint agus craic againn" ("We'll have music, chat and crack"), precedes the use of the spelling "craic" and the use of the word in Irish language signs displayed outside Irish pubs. The word was subsequently reborrowed for the English language.Sport and charitable work
As a keen sportsman Breathnach is involved in his local GAA club "Cumann Micheal Breathnach". His work also involves the County GalwayCounty Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
with his role as Oifigeach Gaeilge for the Galway County Football and Hurling Board.
In the summer of 2007 he took part in RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
's Charity You're A Star to raise money and awareness for the Carers Association of Ireland. he was the runner-up.
Family
Breathnach lives in Coill Rua, Indreabhan, Cois Fharraige in County Galway. He is married with four children. His wife Brighid is from another Gaeltacht area in County WaterfordCounty Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
(An Rinn), and she is the daughter of former chairman of the GAA Munster Council, Nioclas Mac Craith. Brighid is also sister to sean-nos singer Carthach Mac Craith (former singer with Danu, and Liam Clancy's son-in-law) and cousin to Aine Ui Cheallaigh (Solo artist in the original Riverdance tour, and lead part in the ill-fated Broadway show 'The Pirate Queen'). His twins Lean and Cárthach both have roles in the TG4 drama series Aifric
Aifric
Aifric is an Irish-language TV series aimed at young teenagers, directed by Paul Mercier.The first of the weekly thirteen-part series began broadcasting on 31 October 2006, the date of TG4's tenth anniversary....
'. His eldest daughter Brighid is a part-time presenter on TG4 (An Tuath Nua, Luach ar Linne, and Thar Saile) and the second eldest Katie is teaching in a Gaelscoil in County Carlow
County Carlow
County Carlow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Carlow, which lies on the River Barrow. Carlow County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
See also
- Cárthach Bán BreathnachCárthach Bán BreathnachCárthach Bán Breathnach is an Irish media celebrity most noted for his role in the hit TG4 series Aifric and more recently he appeared as Aoddhan in the rish language soap Ros na Rún where he played a local ladies man. He is also a noted DJ and sports enthusiast...
- Fiachra BreathnachFiachra BreathnachFiachra Breathnach is an Irish Gaelic footballer from Galway. Breathnach plays his club football with Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir from the Conamara Gaeltacht and county football for the Galway senior football panel.-Underage Achievements:...
- Maire BreathnachMaire BreathnachMaire Breathnach, is an Irish actress.Breathnach plays the part of Mo Gilmartin on the Irish language drama, Ros na Rún.She is a native of Cnoc Leitirmullen, and won the County football final with her local team...
- Mícheál BreathnachMícheál BreathnachMícheál Breathnach was an Irish writer.Born at Cois Fhairrge, Connemara. Worked for some time as a Secretary of the London Branch of the Gaelic League. He later worked as headmaster of the Connaught College in Tuar Mhic Éadaigh, County Mayo...
- Micheál BreathnachMicheál BreathnachMicheál Breathnach, Irish writer, Born at Sylaun, Tuam, County Galway, the son of two teachers, raised as a Gaeilgeoir . he was educated by the Jesuits at Coláiste Iognáid, Galway, and later at Queen's University, Galway where he graduated with a B.A. in Irish, French and English...
- Pádraic BreathnachPádraic BreathnachPádraic Breathnach, Irish actor, performer, writer and television producer, born c. 1950.A fluent Irish speaker, Pádraic grew up in Carna, Connemara. As a student in NUI Galway, he was deeply involved with An Cumann Drámaíochta and Dramsoc, where he teamed up with Ollie Jennings in a series of...