Gay Byrne was voted Entertainment Personality Of The Year at the 1998 National Entertainment Awards, just days after his official retirement from radio. The award, which is decided by votes from the public, was the highlight of last night's gala show at Dublin's National Concert Hall.
The broadcaster who held his final radio show on Christmas Eve, is on holiday in Donegal, so the award was collected by his daughter, Crona. Two of this year's most successful Irish groups, The Corrs and B*Witched, were also big winners at the awards. The Corrs, from Dundalk, whose second album, Talk On Corners, was the year's top-selling album in Britain, won in the Best Popular Artist category. B*Witched, from Dublin, who have scored three consecutive British No 1 hits with their first three singles, earned the award for Best New Entertainer.
Donal Lunny won the Traditional Award, and the Classical Award went to 21-year-old concert pianist Finghin Collins. Jury's Cabaret won the Variety Award and cabaret singer Sonny Knowles won the Eamonn Andrews Hall Of Fame Award.
The event was attended by an audience of 1,200.
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