Limerick Leader wins at Local Ireland Media Awards
THE LIMERICK Leader are celebrating today after they picked up an award at the 2021 Local Ireland Media Awards. The Limerick Leader claimed the 'BEST USE OF DIGITAL' gong for their Zoom Podcast series - Limerick Leader “Coaching Insights”
The series, which featured interviews with Limerick sporting coaches, was filmed during lockdown and was hosted by now Managing Editor of the Limerick Leader, Donn O'Sullivan.
The series which included interviews with Racing 92's coach Mike Prendergast, Connacht's coach Mossy Lawler, Limerick GAA's Peter Nash and Billy Lee, Boxing's Ken Moore, Basketball's Tony Hehir and Treaty United's Tommy Barrett was described as "a novel and creative format with a great mix of contributors"
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 on Wednesday December 1.
The full list of winners were as follows:
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 Champion “ 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
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.”