iMayo TV expands to put all of Connaught in the picture
By Tom Gillespie
TELEVISION presenter Henry McGlade, having successfully launched iMayoTV five years ago, has expanded the media company to, hopefully, extend coverage to the whole of Connaught.
And with the new-look TV Ireland, Henry, who hosts a half-hour slot every Thursday evening on SKY 186, is looking forward to the challenge.
Going back, Castlebar’s Mr. Entertainment has been over 40 years in the music business as a DJ, compère and booking agent.
Henry got into the TV scene with Irish TV doing Mayo programmes.
He told me: “When Irish TV ceased Martin Logan who does the Irish in The UK programme in Manchester was getting hundreds and hundreds of queries as to what happened the Mayo segment. He rang me and I said I would give it a go.
“We started up and luckily there was enough interest and it gradually built up and this month is our fifth anniversary.”
But the Sligo native admitted: “There were times, however, when we didn’t know if it was going to last. It was tough, very tough. But when Covid came along, luckily, because we were in the media business, we were able to get out.
“We did a couple of special documentaries - one was the Ballrooms of Mayo and yesterday on Youtube it had received 27,000 hits - which proved a great success. We got some funding for that from Creative Ireland, which made a huge difference as we could not seek sponsorship from businesses as they were all closed up.
“Thankfully we have got to the stage now where we had to make a decision to stick with the same name of iMayoTV or expand.
“We wanted to consolidate in Mayo first and we have done that, which was important. Our aim now is to get into the neighbouring counties.
“We are never going to go national, and we don’t want to, but if we can now cover the Connaught counties I would be very happy.”
Through Mayo County Council, Henry has got a lot of work, particularly in the area of tourism and in promoting the county. For his work with the local authority, Henry was presented with a special award at the recent Cathaoirleach’s Awards ceremony.
Getting back to the day-to-day TV work, Henry said: “We could spend a whole day filming and four or five days editing for a half-hour programme so we have always to be a couple of weeks ahead.”
Between Mayo freelance editors and cameramen Henry employs seven or eight people.
Some of the highlights Henry has filmed were the Mayo Ballrooms, the Paddy Prendergast special and the Molloy Brothers' 50th anniversary.
Henry told me: “We are in the process of putting together a tribute to GAA stalwart Paddy Muldoon from Westport, which will be aired in April.
“We were in Achill to film Oscars night - in Ireland’s smallest pub, Lynott’s - where Mick Lynch, who is running the pub, has the actual shears used in The Banshees of Inisherin film.
“We also attended the biggest Irish music festival in the world in Milwaukee, which featured three Mayo acts.”
Henry’s daughter Lana and her boyfriend Alan Reynolds were in Healy Macs in Kuala Lumper in Malaysia recently when, much to their surprise, the iMayo TV show came on the pub’s television screen.
Henry has also been involved with corporate events at the world renowned, five-star Ashford Castle in Cong.
Some of the many feathers in his cap over the years was compering the Pearse Brosnan wedding in Ashford as well as Westlife’s Shane Filan's nuptials.
Henry started his career working for Fitzgerald’s in their flagship premises in Bundoran in 1971. Initially he got a summer job with them.
Henry took up the story: “The record and souvenir shop was a huge tourist attraction and was going so well as the Irish record scene was just starting.
“They were doing such business in Bundoran they decided to open in Sligo and I was asked to run that shop. I stayed there for a couple of years and they then opened in Castlebar, where I went in 1974. We were located next door to Cafolla’s on Main Street.
“Eventually I got in on the Castlebar scene when I discovered everyone went to the Royal Ballroom. I started getting interested in the bands.
“At this time the disco scene was taking off. I was the first DJ in Castlebar. I started in the Welcome Inn Hotel on a Saturday night and the first song I played was 'Dancing On A Saturday Night'.
“Eventually I was asked to go to the TF where they opened Copa’s nightclub and I stayed with them for about 20 years.
“I remember on a Sunday night if you were not in by 10.30 p.m. the doors were closed. I got into the disco scene and I loved it.
“Later I got involved with the Castlebar International Song Contest. I was director of the contest the year we won the Meitheal Award in 1981.”
Henry, who has been doing MC for the Castlebar St. Patrick’s Day parade for over 20 years, said: “I get offers to go to other places on March 17 but the Castlebar parade is part of my life now.”
Last Thursday's show featured Oscar night in Achill with The Banshees of Inisherin, and on April 6 the Milwaukee music festival will be screened.