Niall Stokes

For other uses of the name 'Stokes', see Stokes.

Niall Stokes
Born	1951 (age 59–60) Dublin, Ireland
Education	Bachelor of Arts (University College Dublin)
Occupation	Music journalist, editor
Spouse(s)	Mairin Sheehy
Notable credit(s)	Editor of Hot Press, Editor of the Year (2008 PPAI Magazine of the Year Awards), Industry Award (2009 Meteor Awards)

Niall Stokes (born Dublin in 1951)^[1] is the award-winning editor of the long-running fortnightly Ireland music and political magazine Hot Press based in Dublin. He has edited the magazine since 1977. He has been a longstanding champion of Irish music, most famously U2 in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. He was involved with The Music Show, an exhibition of the Irish music industry held in the RDS in October 2008.^[2] He was Chairman of the Independent Radio and Television Commission (now the BCI) between 1993 and 1998. He has written a book called Into the Heart: The Stories Behind Every U2 Song.

He graduated from University College Dublin with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Alongside Neil Jordan, Stokes was a member of a band called Eyeless (which included whilst in college. He also did some freelance work before Hot Press began.^[1] He lives with his wife, Mairin Sheehy, in Dublin.^[3]

On June 20, 2002, he appeared on an episode of Rattlebag which celebrated the 25th anniversary of Hot Press.^[4] In January 2008, he attended the recording sessions of "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew" in Windmill Lane Studios.^[5] He has appeared on the interactive music series The Raw Sessions.^[6]

Stokes has also appeared as a panelist on Questions and Answers.^[7] On radio he has featured on Five Seven Live,^[8] This Week,^[9] Morning Ireland^[10] and Drivetime.^[11]

In 2007, he pursued a High Court action against Denis Desmond, Moya Doherty and John McColgan.^[12]

Awards

PPAI Awards

Stokes won Editor of the Year at the 2008 PPAI Magazine of the Year Awards.^[13]

Year	Nominated work	Award	Result
2008	Niall Stokes	Editor of the Year	Won

Meteor Awards

Stokes received an industry award at the 2009 Meteor Awards.^[14] Tributes were paid by Niall Breslin, Tom Dunne, Snow Patrol, Bono and The Edge.^[15]

Year	Nominated work	Award	Result
2009	Niall Stokes	Industry Award	Won

Other accolades

Niall Stokes was presented with a lifetime achievement by Magazines Ireland in 2011 8 March 2011 “Niall Stokes founded Hot Press in 1977 and has steered the magazine through over 30 years to be one of Ireland’s most successful magazines. Niall launched the career of some of the most prominent journalists in Ireland" - John Mullins, Zahara Publishing & Chairperson of Magazines Ireland ^{[16] [17]}

The Irish Examiner included Stokes in its top fifty list of "most important and influential people in Irish music during 2005".^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Joe McNamee (January 4, 2006). "Those who called the tune in Irish music during 2005". Irish Examiner. http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2006/01/04/story834452713.asp. Retrieved October 12, 2011. 
2. ^ "Music to their ears". Irish Independent. 2008-10-06. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-to-their-ears-1490655.html. Retrieved 2008-12-01. 
3. ^ "Editor recounts Hall of Fame's downfall". Irish Independent. 2007-10-12. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/editor-recounts-hall-of-fames-downfall-1164526.html. Retrieved 2008-12-01. 
4. ^ "Rattlebag - Thursday, 20 June 2002". RTÉ. 2002-06-20. http://www.rte.ie/news/2002/0620/rattlebag.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ Richie Taylor (2008-01-18). "Cream of Irish music in tribute to Dubliner as he battles with cancer". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/cream-of-irish-music-in-tribute-to-dubliner-as-he-battles-with-cancer-1268435.html. Retrieved 2009-08-21. 
6. ^ "Sony Ericsson Raw Sessions: catch it this weekend". Hot Press. 2009-05-15. http://www.hotpress.com/news/5449745.html. Retrieved 2009-08-01. 
7. ^ "Questions And Answers - Monday, 20 June 2005". RTÉ. 2005-06-20. http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0620/qanda.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24. ^{[dead link]}
8. ^ "Five Seven Live - Thursday, 15 April 2004". RTÉ. 2004-04-15. http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0415/57live.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24. ^{[dead link]}
9. ^ "This Week - Sunday, 24 April 2005". RTÉ. 2005-04-24. http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0424/thisweek.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24. ^{[dead link]}
10. ^ "Morning Ireland - Tuesday, 28 June 2005". RTÉ. 2005-06-28. http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0628/morningireland.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24. 
11. ^ "Drivetime with Dave - Tuesday, 21 November 2006". RTÉ. 2006-11-21. http://www.rte.ie/arts/2006/1121/drivetimewithdave.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24. ^{[dead link]}
12. ^ "Hot Press in court over Hall of Fame". RTÉ. 2007-10-09. http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1009/hotpress-business.html. Retrieved 2010-01-24. 
13. ^ "Hot Press Wins Editor of the Year". Hot Press. 2008-12-05. http://www.hotpress.com/archive/5086912.html. Retrieved 2009-07-26. 
14. ^ "Guest presenters join Meteors line-up". Hot Press. 2009-03-11. http://www.hotpress.com/news/5296785.html. Retrieved 2009-03-11. 
15. ^ "The Script and Sharon Shannon bag Meteors". Hot Press. 2009-03-18. http://www.hotpress.com/news/5315938.html. Retrieved 2009-03-20. 
16. ^ "Niall Stokes gets Lifetime Achievement Award". The Sunday Business Post. 2011-03-08. http://www.magazinesireland.ie/. Retrieved 2011-04-06. 
17. ^ "Award for Hot Press founder". The Sunday Business Post. 2011-03-13. http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=THE-INSIDE-TRACK-qqqs=mediaandmarketing-qqqid=55028-qqqx=1.asp. Retrieved 2011-04-06. 

External links

• Hot Press site
• Hot Press on site at The O₂ feat. Niall Stokes (#19)

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Name	Stokes, Niall
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