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Tag Archives: Awards

Three awards for Champion

IT was a super Wednesday for the Clare Champion, as three awards came to the paper, with prizes for reporters Fiona McGarry and Dan Danaher, as well as photographer John Kelly. At the Headline Mental Health Media Awards Fiona McGarry was winner in the Local Print and Online category for her story’ Letting light shine for fellow survivors’ which was described as “honest, heartfelt and compelling’. It explored Martin Vernon’s progression through various supports towards his own recovery, following an incidence of sexual violence against him. Fiona said she was very grateful to Martin for sharing his story. “I’m delighted to win the award and I’m very thankful to the editorial team for their support with the story. Most of all I’m thankful to Martin Vernon for his bravery and honesty in sharing a very difficult story. I think he hopes and I hope that it will take some of the stigma away from the issue of male sexual assault …

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No debate about award for volunteer Denis

TULLYVARRAGA’S Denis Bates, a retired teacher, has received an award for volunteering work with Ireland’s largest aid agency, Concern Worldwide. Denis received a silver medal for his involvement with its national debating competition, Concern Debates, which he has been involved with since 1985. Hundreds of schools take part in the nationwide contest each year with students going head-to-head in debates about world and development issues – with volunteer judges like Denis deciding who wins each one. Denis was also a mentor for student teams at CBS Sexton Street in Limerick city when he worked there over many years. He has also adjudicated at many debating contests involving Clare schools like St. Patrick’s Comprehensive in Shannon and Coláiste Muire in Ennis. He became involved after having returned to Ireland after spending six years in East Africa. “When I came home I still had an interest in the developing world. There wasn’t much opportunity in Ireland in those days to express that …

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Ennis Tidy Towns awards local efforts

THE hardwork and dedication of people who are working to make Ennis look its best has been honoured by the local Tidy Towns group. Ennis Tidy Towns annual Local Awards recently took place, with awards presented to residents for their voluntary efforts in keeping the town tidy. The usual awards night could not be held due to Covid-19, however Tidy Towns committee members visited the award winners to present them with their prizes. Cormac McCarthy, chairman of Ennis Tidy Towns said, “Even though our local awards night could not take place this year, we had the wonderful job to go around to each of our category winners with Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council Mary Howard and present them with their awards in the winning gardens, green areas, approach roads and shrines. “In a year that shook us all to the core it was a lovely way to end 2020. A huge congratulations to all our entrants.” Along with the overall …

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Tidy Towns Success for Ennis

ENNIS has been crowned Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre at this year’s national Tidy Towns competition. The county capital scored an impressive 345 points in the competition, just one point behind the overall winners of Ireland’s Tidiest Town, Glaslough in County Monaghan. Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre is just one of a number of awards that have been scooped by the Ennis entry. Among the prestigious awards won by the local committee of volunteers were a gold medal, regional award and the county award. While the Supervalu Schools Award was presented to entries from Ennis National School and Ennis Scouts.

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‘Champion Shortlisted for Seven Media Awards

THE Clare Champion has been shortlisted in seven Local Ireland Media Awards categories, the highest of any regional newspaper in the country. The next highest are The Connacht Tribune and Connaught Telegraph both shortlisted in four categories. The Local Ireland National Lottery Media Awards recognises regional newspapers, which are producing quality journalism and innovative content, showcasing to the public that local news matters, and should be supported. Out of 12 categories The Clare Champion is up for awards in seven, with entries shortlisted for News Story of the Year; Sports Story of the Year; Best News Series of the Year; Best Supplement of the Year; Photographer of the Year; Best Digital Content; and National Lottery Best Community Story. This is the fourth year of the National Lottery Annual Media Awards, and marks the first time that The Clare Champion has been shortlisted in seven categories. Editor Peter O’Connell said, “This is a great achievement for our newsroom, production staff and …

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Clare students honoured for career skills awards

Eleven students from Clare received awards in the 2018 National Careers Skills competition. Nine students from Coláiste Muire, Ennis and two from Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon were awarded prizes for their submissions in the Transition Year category. Ennis studen Éabha Fitzpatrick was awarded joint second prize for her work as an aeronautical engineer while Aoife Daffy was highly commended for her work experience as an accountant. Commended students in the category were Shona Duffy for arts administration, Aoife Guilfoyle and Finia O’Brien for occupational therapy, Regina Yeung for accountancy, Amy Browne for her work in hospitality and both Maryam Rahman and Michelle Power for their work experience as a doctors. Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon students Eva Cullinan and Aoibhann De Burca Quinlivan were highly commended for their work experience as an airport search unit officer and a journalist respectively. The National Career Skill Awards, run by www.careersportal.ie and sponsored by McDonald’s Ireland, recognise students who complete a career investigation in their chosen …

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The Clare Champion Nominated for Three Media Awards

The Clare Champion newspaper has for the first time received three nominations at the annual Local Ireland Media Awards. For the third successive year, Clare Champion journalist Peter O’Connell has been nominated for a Local Ireland Award. This year he is shortlisted for the second time in the Best Sports Story of the Year for an interview with Cooraclare’s Tom Morrissey. In the article Tom reflects on his life and times 25 years after he helped Clare win the 1992 Munster Senior Football Championship. Multi-award winning Clare Champion photographer John Kelly was also nominated this year for Photograph of the Year for an image taken of Meelick man Robin O’Connell. The Clare Champion has also been nominated in the Best Designed Newspaper of the Year category. The awards will be held on Thursday May 24 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Athlone where the winners will be announced.  

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Shannon Musical Society Take Two AIMS Awards

Shannon Musical Society took home two of the three awards they were nominated for at the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS) annual music theatre awards, which were held in Killarney at the weekend. The society, which staged Legally Blonde this year, scooped the Spirit of AIMS award, the Jan Canavan Trophy, for the Delta Nu sextet as well as the Mary Kitt Trophy for Best House Management. Commenting on the portrayal of the Delta Nus, the judges said the “the joint effort from the director, the choreographer and the stage manager saw six highly talented young performers not only act, sing and dance brilliantly as a team but their choreographed scene changes were a superbly original and creative feature of the show”. Karen Barrett of the society was also nominated for the Mary Kelly Award, which is a special award for the great contribution a person has given to a society. There were 11 nominees in this award category and unfortunately Karen lost out on the overall award. The society have recently announced that their show for next year will …

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