Local Ireland Media Award winners announced

The winners of the Local Ireland Media Awards 2021 have been announced - with The Anglo-Celt shortlisted in three categories.

Host Marty Morrissey revealed the winners in 14 competitive categories plus a Lifetime Achievement award for Pat Ryan of the Nenagh Guardian in a virtual awards ceremony held last night (Wednesday) December 1.

Although shortlisted in three categories, The Anglo-Celt did not take any of the top awards this year amid very stiff competition.

Sports Editor Paul Fitzpatrick has been nominated in the category for Sports Journalist of the Year for his coverage of Cavan's successful run in Ulster to reclaim The Anglo-Celt Cup. However, the title went to Colin Sheridan, Mayo News.

Photographer Lorraine Teevan got a nod on the shortlist for Best Photograph for her entry 'The Wind that Shakes the Brolly'. The photograph was of President Michael D. Higgins' visit to Gaelscoil Bhreifne in Cavan Town on a blustery day - the day before all schools were closed amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The award went to John Kelly, Clare Champion.

An advert titled 'Imagine' taken jointly by six local credit unions, which also ran in the Celt, was also been nominated for Best Local Advert, which went to the Connacht Tribune for Athenry Credit Union.

The Celt's sister paper the Meath Chronicle won the award in the Best Advertising Campaign category for their 'Ashbourne High Street' campaign.

President of Local Ireland Declan McGuire said: “I am delighted that we were able to celebrate journalism excellence in our regional publishers in this way.

“It is important that our achievements are recognised. I want to congratulate all the winners and nominees and pay tribute to all the journalists and staff who deliver our regional news titles week in, week out to such a high professional standard.

“I also want to thank our sponsors, the National Lottery, for their continued support of community-focused journalism, and our judges for the care they have taken in reaching their final decisions.”

CEO of the Lottery Andrew Algeo said: “In these challenging times, we need great journalism to uncover, to explain, to challenge and to give perspective to what we are all experiencing.

“These annual awards are important and we at the National Lottery are delighted to be both associated with them and to confirm our commitment to local journalism through the sponsorship of the Local Ireland Media Awards for a further three years.”

Chair of the Judges Áine Kerr of kinzen.com said: “At its very best, quality local journalism can engage, entertain and educate. Critically, it should - and can - leave us feeling more informed about the world around us, empowering us to make decisions and judgements about that everyday world.

“Quality local journalism has the power to make us feel more connected, to give us a sense of belonging to something, whether it’s a club, movement, community group or event.

“After two years of often having to stay apart in order to stay together, it is my hope and belief that we were still able to relate to and learn from our local communities through the power of local journalism, through our shared local stories. I want to congratulate everyone who was nominated.

Executive Director Bob Hughes said: “After taking the difficult but necessary to decision to cancel our awards evening because of COVID, we were determined to go ahead with a virtual celebration of all that’s great in local journalism.

“I was also very pleased that we were able to deliver the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Pat Ryan, former Managing Director of the Nenagh Guardian, to a wider audience.

“Pat has made an immense contribution to local journalism both at a local and national level through his stewardship of the Nenagh Guardian and his active involvement in the work of Local Ireland.”

In all more than 500 entries were received in 14 editorial and commercial categories across print and digital publications.

To read some of Paul's articles that helped him make the shortlist. See the links below.

'To experience this just once' - Cavan's long road to vindication

'Hands quivering, teeth rattling - and that's just in the press box'

A unique species: The Cavan football supporter

The successful advert is pictured below:

A number of the Celt's sister titles including The Meath Chronicle, The Westmeath Independent and the Connacht Telegraph have also been shortlisted across a variety of categories.

Editor of The Anglo-Celt, Linda O'Reilly, congratulated all the nominees, highlighting how both Paul and Lorraine were among the winners and nominees in previous years.

"The quality of Lorraine's photographs are second to none. She has a great eye for a photo and an incredible knack of capturing a special moment in time. As everyone already knows Paul is a terrific sports writer but it was his opinion and colour pieces throughout Cavan's Ulster campaign in 2020 - even analysing the Cavan supporters themselves - that captured the imagination and admiration of both our readers and the judging panel," she said.

Chair of the judging panel Áine Kerr said: “Over the last two years when the world felt chaotic and unpredictable, what was consistent and stable in people’s everyday lives was their local newspaper.

“This year’s nominees demonstrate the capacity of local Irish newspapers to rise to meet unprecedented challenges and provide public service-driven and quality journalism. The nominees represent the very best of local Irish journalism today.”

The awards, which are sponsored by the National Lottery, will be held on Thursday November 11 at Bloomfield House Hotel, near Mullingar.

National Lottery Chief Executive Officer Andrew Algeo said: “At the National Lottery, we are incredibly proud of our association with the Local Ireland Media Awards which continue to recognise the important role of local journalism in our society.

“Local media in Ireland has a long and proud tradition of producing trusted and outstanding journalists and these awards rightly recognise these journalists and their colleagues who perform a vital public service through ground-breaking reporting at a time when we need it most.

“This is our fourth year of sponsorship for the Local Ireland Awards and we are particularly honoured to be judging our own special award for the Best Community Story.”

The awards will be presented on the night by the President of Local Ireland, Declan McGuire of the Connacht Tribune.

Mr McGuire said: “Every nomination is an achievement in itself and those named should be rightly proud of reaching the shortlist.

“As the judges have said, the standard of entries has been extremely high. I want to thank and congratulate all those who entered the awards for their contribution to the high standards of professional journalism that we see in all our member titles.

“It is thanks to everyone’s efforts that we continue to play such a valued part in our communities across the country.”

Local Ireland is the representative organisation for 42 paid-for news publishers in print and online across the country.

LOCAL IRELAND AWARDS 2021 WINNERS

BEST FRONT PAGE

The Kerryman “Unprecedented”

BEST LOCAL ADVERT

Connacht Tribune “Athenry Credit Union”

BEST SUPPLEMENT

Western People “Through the Ages”

BEST USE OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Sligo Chamption “ Public to the Rescue”

BEST USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Western People “The Night U2 Rocked Ballina”

BEST ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

Meath Chronicle “Ashbourne High Street”

BEST NEWS SERIES

Wexford People “Home in our Hearts”

FEATURE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

Claire Quinn, Waterford News and Star

SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

Colin Sheridan, Mayo News

BEST PHOTOGRAPH

John Kelly, Clare Champion

BEST USE OF DIGITAL

Limerick Leader “Coaching Insights”

BEST INNOVATION

Mediahaus Ireland Regional e-Papers

NATIONAL LOTTERY BEST COMMUNITY STORY

Dan Danaher, Clare Champion

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Patrick Ryan, Nenagh Guardian

BEST NEWS STORY

Sinead Kelleher, The Kerryman