Seán Bán Breathnach
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| Seán Bán Breathnach (SBB) | |
| Nationality | Irish  |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Radio presenter |
Seán Bán Breathnach (known in the Republic of Ireland as "SBB") is a television and radio broadcaster and personality in the Republic of Ireland. He broadcasts in the medium of the Irish Language, but is well known to English speakers in the country.
He lives in Coill Rua, Indreabhan in Co. Galway, Republic of Ireland.
He has presented several television and radio programmes and documentaries, for the state broadcaster RTÉ and the Irish Language broadcasters TG4 (formerly TNaG or Teilifis na Gaeilge) and RTÉ national-regional broadcaster Raidió na Gaeltachta. He is perhaps currently best known for his radio sports coverage.
He presented the first Irish language pop music programme on Raidió Éireann in 1969 when he was 19 years old and his first television show, Imeall - a bilingual folk music show - soon followed.
He hosted the show SBB ina Shuí with Gráinne Gleoite between 1976 - 1982. This was the highest rated Irish language television programme of all times, coming first in TAM ratings in 1979.[citation needed]
Other work in television includes the community based programme Eadrainn Féin (1984 - 1986) and Scaoil Amach an Bobailín with Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (1990 - 1993) which attracted a viewership of over 600,000 in 1992.[citation needed]
Since the arrival of TG4, SBB has been involved in many programmes, including the very popular Cleamhnas (Blind Date with a difference, where parents choose partners for their children!) and a soccer programme, mapping the history of the influence of Celts on the modern game. Interviewed by SBB in this series were Alex Ferguson, Roy Keane, Denis Irwin, Steve Heighway, Jim Beglin, Tom Finney, Norman Whiteside, Paddy Crerand and many others.
In 1978 he was appointed to RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta staff. He works mainly with the Sports Department and presents the station’s flagship sports programme, Spórt an tSathairn, every Saturday between 2pm - 5pm. This programme features reports, interviews, previews, horse racing results in Ireland and England as well as the fastest FA Premiership results in Ireland, and enjoys a loyal listenership. In 1991, Breathnach won a Jacob's Award for his sports commentaries on Raidió na Gaeltachta.
Seán Bán Breathnach is often considered responsible for the popularisation of the borrowed Gaelicised word 'craic' in the Irish language.[citation needed] His catchphrase 'Beidh ceol, caint agus craic againn' ('We'll have music, chat and crack'), actually precedes the use of the spelling 'Craic', and certainly precedes the (almost ubiquitous now) use of the word 'craic' as on Irish language hand-painted signs displayed outside Irish pubs. The word was subsequently reborrowed for the English language.
SBB’s many talents have resulted in his involvement in all kinds of radio and television programmes, ranging from music and entertainment to interviews, young people’s programmes, documentaries and sports.
Since February 2007 SBB presents a new hour-long music documentary Siar agus Aniar, on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Saturday nights at midnight as part of the station's ANOCHT fm slot. The programme features music greats of the past thirty years or so, Irish and otherwise, including The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Stone Roses, Motown and much more.
In the summer of 2007 he took part in RTÉ One's Charity You're A Star to raise money and awareness for the Carers Association of Ireland.
