Anna Carragher

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Anna Carragher | honorific_suffix = OBE | image =  | alt = | caption = | order = | office = Controller of BBC Northern Ireland | term_start = 2000 | term_end = 2006 | predecessor = | successor = Peter Johnston | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|7|9|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date =  | death_place = | citizenship = | party = | other_party =  | height =  | spouse = Alain Le Garsmeur (divorced) | partner =  | relations = | children = Three | parents = Thomas and Eileen Carragher | relatives = | education = St Dominic's High School | alma_mater = Queen's University Belfast | occupation = | profession = | known_for = | cabinet = | committees = | portfolio = | awards = }} '''Anna Carragher''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}} (born 9 July 1948) is an Irish former broadcasting executive and television producer. From 2000 to 2006, she was Controller of BBC Northern Ireland.

==Early life and education== Carragher was born on 9 July 1948 to Thomas Carragher and Eileen Carragher.<ref name="Who's Who 2016">{{cite web|title=CARRAGHER, Anna|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U42540|website=Who's Who 2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=9 July 2016|date=November 2015}}</ref> Her father was a shipyard electrician and trade unionist, and Irish Labour councillor. Her parents were founding members of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), which formed in 1970.

Carragher was educated St Dominic's High School, now called St Dominic's Grammar School for Girls, a Roman Catholic grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland.<ref name="Who's Who 2016" /> Her mother taught Maths at St Dominic's, and became the school's Vice-Principal in 1976. She studied English Language and Literature at Queen's University Belfast, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) degree.<ref name="CV parliament" />

==Career== Carragher joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 1970. Her early years were spent in BBC Radio: she was a studio manager from 1970 to 1973, and then a producer for the BBC Radio 4 ''Today'' program from 1973 to 1981.<ref name="Who's Who 2016" />

Carragher moved to BBC Television in the 1980s. Between 1981 and 1985, she worked as a producer for various Television News programs.<ref name="Who's Who 2016" /> In 1985, she joined BBC1's ''Question Time'' as its producer. She produced Radio 4's ''Any Questions?'' from 1989 to 1992. From 1992 to 1995, she worked on the new Five Live station, and was Editor of European and Correspondent Programmes for Radio 4.

Carragher became Head of Programmes at BBC Northern Ireland in 1995, and its first female Controller in 2000. She left the BBC on 17 November 2006; she had been with the BBC for thirty-six years.<ref name="BBC retirement">{{cite web|title=Anna Carragher announces retirement as Controller, BBC Northern Ireland|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/07_july/14/carragher.shtml|website=bbc.co.uk|access-date=9 July 2016|date=14 July 2006}}</ref>

Carragher was a member of the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission from 1995 to 2001.<ref name="CV parliament">{{cite web|title=Appendix B: Curriculum vitae of Miss Anna Carragher|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmspeak/1509/150905.htm|website=parliament.uk|publisher=House of Commons|accessdate=9 July 2016|date=11 October 2011}}</ref> Since 2009, she has been a Commissioner on the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.<ref name="Who's Who 2016" />

Carragher was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to the arts in Northern Ireland.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=63377|supp=y|page=B11|date=12 June 2021}}</ref>

==Personal life== In 1974, Carragher married Alain Le Garsmeur;<ref name="Who's Who 2016" /> the couple had two sons and a daughter.<ref name="Who's Who 2016" /> They have since divorced.<ref name="CV parliament" />

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.artscouncil-ni.org/about-us/board-biographies Arts Council Northern Ireland] * [https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/may/06/eileen-carragher-obituary Her mother]

{{s-start}} {{s-media}} {{succession box | before= Pat Loughrey | title=Controller: BBC Northern Ireland | years=September 2000 - November 2006 | after= Peter Johnston}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carragher, Anna}} Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Queen's University Belfast Category:BBC executives Category:BBC Northern Ireland Category:Irish radio producers Category:Irish television producers Category:Irish women television producers Category:British radio producers Category:British television producers Category:British women television producers Category:People educated at St Dominic's Grammar School for Girls Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Women radio producers