Our history

The Celtic Media Festival exists to promote the cultures and languages of the Celtic countries in film, on television, radio and new media. Primarily this is achieved through the festival - the major annual activity of the organisation - and also through partnership events throughout the year. The Celtic Media Festival is also in a position to offer a distinctive view of the media industry to government consultations etc, which may otherwise be underrepresented.

Previous Festivals

  • 2009 - 30th Festival

    Caernarfon, Wales
    Festival Team, Jude MacLaverty, Jo Stein, Hugh Edwin Jones.

  • 2008 - 29th Festival

    Galway, Ireland
    Festival Producer, Jude MacLaverty
    Festival Team, Ed Blackburn, Sally Ni Dhuibhir

  • 2007 - 28th Festival

    Skye, Scotland
    Chief Executive, Frances Hendron
    Festival Producer, Jude MacLaverty / Katy McAulay

  • 2006 - 27th Festival

    Falmouth, Cornwall
    Chief Executive, Frances Hendron
    Festival Producer, Jude MacLaverty

  • 2005 - 26th Festival

    Cardiff, Wales
    Festival Chairman, Bryn Roberts
    Festival Producer, Hannah Raybould (Sgrin)

  • 2004 - 25th Festival

    Dundee, Scotland
    Festival Chairman, Lesley Riddoch
    Festival Producers, Jude MacLaverty and Frances Hendron

  • 2003 - 24th Festival

    Belfast, Northern Ireland
    Festival Chairman, Professor Sean Fulton
    Festival Producer, Jude Sharvin

  • 2002 - 23rd Festival

    Quimper, Brittany
    Festival Chairman, Daniel Yonnet
    Festival Producer, Xavier Perrin

  • 2001 - 22nd Festival

    Truro, Cornwall
    Festival Chairman, Professor Alan Livingston
    Festival Director, Karen Stockdale

  • 2000 - 21st Festival

    Aberystwyth, Wales
    Festival Chairman, Derec Llwyd Morgan
    Festival Producer, Menna Heulyn

  • 1999 - 20th Festival

    Skye, Scotland
    Festival Chairman, Donald John MacInnes
    Festival Director, Mark McLachlan

  • 1998 - 19th Festival

    Tralee, Ireland
    Festival Chairman, Dr Tim Mahony
    Festival Director, Doireann Ní Bhriain

  • 1997 - 18th Festival

    St Ives, Cornwall
    This was the first time the Festival was hosted by Cornwall
    Festival Chairman, James St Aubyn
    Festival Director, Stephen Hall

  • 1996 - 17th Festival

    Bangor, Wales
    Festival Chairman, R Alun Evans
    Festival Director, Ewan Llwyd.

  • 1995 - 16th Festival

    Fort William, Scotland
    Festival Chairman, Sir Fraser Morrison
    Festival Director, Lindsay Pollock

  • 1994 - 15th Festival

    Derry, Northern Ireland
    Festival Chairman, Ivor Oswald
    Festival Organiser, Suzy O'Hara

  • 1993 - 14th Festival

    Lorient, Brittany
    Festival Chairman Louis Lichou
    Festival Organiser Erwan Moalic

  • 1992 - 13th Festival

    Carmarthen, Wales
    Festival Chairman D H Davies
    Festival Organiser David Hedley Williams

  • 1991 - 12th Festival

    Inverness, Scotland
    Festival Chairman Sir Iain Tennant KT
    Festival Organiser Mairi Nicholson

  • 1990 - 11th Festival

    Gweedore, Ireland
    Festival Chairman T P Hardiman
    Festival Organiser Colm Ó Briain

  • 1989 - 10th Festival

    Roscoff, Brittany
    Festival Chairman Recteur Henri Le Moal
    Festival Organiser Erwan Moalic

  • 1988 - 9th Festival

    Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales
    Festival Chairman Alwyn Roberts
    Festival Organiser Sion Pyrs

  • 1987 - 8th Festival

    Inverness, Scotland
    Festival Chairman Bob Cowan
    Festival Organiser Kate Swan

  • 1986 - 7th Festival

    Newcastle, Co Down, Northern Ireland
    Festival Chairman Sir Desmond Lorimer
    Festival Organiser Alan Bremner

  • 1985 - 6th Festival

    Douarnenez and Rennes, Brittany
    Festival Chairman Per Denez

  • 1984 - 5th Festival

    Cardiff, Wales
    Festival Chairman John Elfed
    Festival Organiser Ron Stewart

  • 1983 - 4th Festival

    Glasgow, Scotland

  • 1982 - 3rd Festival

    Wexford, Ireland
    Festival Director, Michael Russell
    Festival Organiser, Donald Taylor Black
    Assistant to Festival Organiser, Gemma Fallon

  • 1981 - 2nd Festival

    Harlech, Wales
    Festival Director, Michael Russell

  • 1980 - 1st Festival

    South Uist & Benbecula, Scotland
    Festival Director, Michael Russell

The Celtic Media Festival Administrators

  • Michael Russell 1980—1983
  • Duncan MacLeod 1983—1994
  • Frances Hendron 1994—2007
  • Jude MacLaverty 2007—present

It has been chaired by dedicated and respected individuals working in the broadcasting industry:

Irish Chairs

  • Neasa Ní Chinnéide RTÉ
  • Bob Collins RTÉ
  • Con Bushe RTÉ
  • Muiris MacConghail RTÉ
  • Cathal Goan RTÉ (present Chair)

Scottish Chairs

  • Donald Waters Grampian Television
  • Neil Fraser BBC Scotland
  • Maggie Cunningham BBC Scotland

Welsh Chairs

  • Huw Jones S4C
  • John Hefin Wales Film Council
  • Owen Edwards S4C