Mayo writer Ray Lawlor wins Best TV Drama Script award for Obituary

WRITE Ray Lawlor, from Castlebar, has won a Zebbie Award for Best TV Drama Script at the 17th Writers’ Guild of Ireland (WGI) Zebbie Awards for his RTÉ television series Obituary.

Lawlor received the award for the opening episode of the first series of Obituary. Nell Hensey for Falling For The Life Of Alex Whelan and Nessa Wrafter for Smother were the other finalists in the category.

The awards ceremony was hosted by writer and actor Tara Flynn at The Sugar Club in Dublin with writers from all over Ireland in attendance to celebrate the best of Irish writing for stage, screen and radio.

Former Senator David Norris, who hosted the Zebbie Awards for many years, was presented with the WGI’s Special Services to Writers Award last night in honour of his support for the WGI and Irish writers.

The awards are named in honour of O.Z. ‘Zebby’ Whitehead, a Broadway and Hollywood actor who was a great supporter of theatre and writing in Ireland after he moved to Dublin in 1963.

The WGI, which campaigns for rights, remuneration, more control of work and better recognition for its members, represents over 400 Irish writers for film, television, theatre, radio, animation and games.

In October, the WGI will be hosting the World Conference of Screenwriters 2024 in Galway with over 200 screenwriters from across the world expected to attend to discuss their craft and their industry.