Niall Stokes facts for kids

Niall Stokes, born in Dublin in 1951, is a well-known music journalist. He has been the editor of Hot Press, a popular Irish music and political magazine, since 1977. This magazine is published every two weeks and is based in Dublin.

Niall Stokes has always supported Irish music. He famously helped the band U2 become very popular in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s. He also helped with The Music Show, which was an event about the Irish music industry held in the RDS in October 2008. From 1993 to 1998, he was the Chairman of the Independent Radio and Television Commission, which is now called the BCI. He has written several books, including Into the Heart: The Stories Behind Every U2 Song.

Early Life and Career

Niall Stokes studied at University College Dublin and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. While he was in college, he was part of a band called Eyeless. The famous director Neil Jordan was also in this band. Before he started Hot Press, Niall Stokes worked as a freelance writer for newspapers like The Irish Times. He lives in Dublin with his wife, Mairin Sheehy.

Media Appearances

Niall Stokes has appeared on many TV and radio shows. On June 20, 2002, he was on an episode of Rattlebag. This episode celebrated the 25th anniversary of Hot Press magazine. In January 2008, he attended the recording of the song "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew" at Windmill Lane Studios. He has also been on the interactive music series The Raw Sessions.

He has also been a guest on the TV show Questions and Answers. On the radio, he has appeared on shows like Five Seven Live, This Week, Morning Ireland, and Drivetime.

In 2007, Niall Stokes had a legal disagreement related to the Hot Press Music Hall of Fame Museum. This issue was later resolved.

Awards and Recognition

Niall Stokes has received several important awards for his work in journalism and music.

Editor of the Year

In 2008, Niall Stokes won the Editor of the Year award. This award was given at the PPAI Magazine of the Year Awards.

Industry Award

He also received an industry award at the 2009 Meteor Awards. Many famous musicians praised him, including Niall Breslin, Tom Dunne, Snow Patrol, Bono, and The Edge.

Other Achievements

In 2011, Magazines Ireland gave Niall Stokes a lifetime achievement award. John Mullins, who was the Chairperson of Magazines Ireland, said that Niall Stokes founded Hot Press in 1977. He guided the magazine for over 30 years, making it one of Ireland's most successful magazines. Mullins also noted that Niall helped start the careers of many important journalists in Ireland.

The Irish Examiner newspaper also recognized Niall Stokes's influence. In 2005, they included him in their list of the top fifty most important and influential people in Irish music.