Congratulations to Elizabeth Moynihan, formely of Grattan St., Youghal, on winning the ZeBBie 2009 Best Radio Script for the ‘Cider Queens’ at last nights (Thur. 26th Nov 2009) glitzy awards ceremony which was held in the Sugar Club, Dublin. Elizabeth featured recently on YoughalOnline.com and was interviewed by Roisin Hally on Youghal local radio CRY last Friday. Click here to listen to the interview where she talks about her upbringing, her play, and advice to other writers. By YoughalOnline.com Arts reporter.

Elizabeth is currently working on stage in London and was unable to attend the prestigious awards ceremony but was delighted with the news as was her family back here in town. If you would like to congratulate Elizabeth on winning the ZeBBie 2009 Best Radio Script Award please feel free to use the comment box below.

The ZeBBies are annual awards created by the Irish playwrights and screenwriters Guild (named in honour of O. Z. Whitehead) to acknowledge the best script(s) written by Irish playwrights and screenwriters during the previous year.

The two-part play was first aired on the  RTE Radio 1 Sunday Playhouse last April 2009. The “Cider Queens” is a poignant two-part radio play, which explores the interlocking lives of three young women in the small-town tedium of 1970s Ireland. A bittersweet Showband soundtrack from the period, all platform shoes and glad-rag Glam rock, brightens an otherwise astringent study of public houses and private violence. The play featured Norma Sheahan, Dawn Bradfield and Jessica Regan.

Senator David Norris was the lively master of ceremonies at the packed and sparkling ceremony where the ZeBBie Award Winners 2009 were announced:

Best Television Script     Frank Deasy for Father and Son (Episode 1)
Best Radio Script     Elizabeth Moynihan for Cider Queens
Best Theatre Script     Elaine Murphy for Little Gem
Best Film Script     Enda Walsh for Hunger
Honorary Services
to Writers Award     Rough Magic Theatre

The Irish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild, with the support of the Irish Film Institute also held a  presentation of old short films, which included early newsreel, drama and comedy. These films were first seen in the Volta Cinematograph in 1909 under the management of James Joyce. The IPSG and the IFI are delighted to celebrate the cinematic endeavours of Ireland’s greatest writer with this centenary programme, which featured the live musical accompaniment of the highly talented septet, 3epkano.
The Irish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild is the representative body in Ireland for writers for the stage and screen. The Guild is an organisation run for and by the writers themselves.