The Clare Champion walked away with the award for Best News Story at last night’s Local Ireland Media Awards.
The award went to Fiona McGarry for her story on the Clare Pyrite campaign’s success after a three year struggle. Ms McGarry, who now works for the University of Galway, dedicated the award to Clare pyrite campaigner, Dr Martine Cleary, and to the team at The Clare Champion.
The Clare Champion was nominated in four separate categories for the prestigious awards.
Dan Danaher was shortlisted in the ‘Best News Series’ category for his highlighting of the impact UHL overcrowding has had on patients.
Photographer John Kelly was nominated for a gong in the ‘Best Photograph’ category for his image titled ‘Back Down from the Big Schmoke’.
In the ‘National Lottery Best Community Journalist’ category, Jessica Quinn was nominated for her story ‘Knitting the World Back Together’ outlining the efforts of a group of local volunteers to raise money for charity while also helping divert unwanted knitted goods from landfill.
“I’d like to pay tribute to Dr Martina Cleary and the Clare Pyrite Action Group for their tireless work for homeowners across Clare. Their efforts have been truly inspiring and I hope my reporting has done them justice,” said Ms McGarry.
“I’d also like to thank Colin McGann as editor, for his constant support with the coverage over the years and to all The Champion team. Thanks to Local Ireland for the award, I’m very honoured.”
The judges for this year’s awards included author and broadcaster Alison O’Connor, who chaired the panel, broadcaster and journalist Dearbhail McDonald, Emeritus Professor at TUD Michael Foley, Dawn Wheatley of DCU School of Communications, Managing Director of Kinetic Ireland Andrew Sinclair, photographer and former Irish Times Picture Editor Frank Miller, broadcaster and writer Valerie Cox, journalist and author PJ Cunningham, novelist and newspaper columnist Dr Martina Devlin, Policy Editor of the Business Post Daniel Murray and Deputy Night Editor of the Irish Sun Gerry McCarthy.
Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, investigative reporter and blogger who has been working in the media in Ireland for the past 20 years. His areas of special interest include the environment, mental health and politics.