Tipperary CEO and charity achieve success at National PR Awards
Martina Quinlan and the Dillon Quirke Foundation were awarded at the ceremony
Tipperary woman Martina Quinn and the Dillon Quirke Foundation were honoured with PRCA Spotlight Awards for excellence in communications in Ireland at a ceremony held at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin on June 20.
Martina Quinn, founder and CEO of Alice Public Relations, from Rossestown, Thurles, received the inaugural PRCA Spotlight Award for Outstanding Contribution to the PR Industry.
Martina was recognised for her leadership and commitment to driving change through communications.
The judging panel described her as “a true champion of the industry who has demonstrated the real difference communications can make.”
Alice Public Relations was recognised with two further awards, including in the Best PR Event category for its work on the high-profile launch of Tipperary charity The Dillon Quirke Foundation.
This campaign was also named in the top four campaigns of the year across Ireland’s entire public relations industry, and was shortlisted in the Best Charity Campaign category.
The launch, which took place in Buswell’s Hotel, Dublin, in April 2024, attracted widespread public and political attention following addresses from Chairperson Niall Quinn and Dan Quirke, father of Dillon Quirke and founder of the Foundation.
Alongside a panel of young players and their families, Quinn and Quirke spoke to politicians, journalists and prominent figures across Irish sports about the impact of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome and the importance of cardiac screening.
Since the launch, the Foundation has screened over 10,000 young people for cardiac abnormalities, resulting in more than 250 individuals being referred for follow-up cardiology tests, a potentially lifesaving intervention.
Other wins for Alice at the awards included Best Agency Innovation for the company’s #AliceAsks event series, which is designed to give clients and Alice’s wider network access to expert speakers on cutting-edge topics.
The agency was also highly commended for Best Integrated Campaign and Best Ongoing Communications Strategy for its work with the Higher Education Authority and Education and Training Boards Ireland, respectively.
Commenting on the success, Martina Quinn said: "We’re thrilled that our work was recognised at this year’s Spotlight Awards, and I was honoured to receive the first Outstanding Contribution to the Industry award. Alice is celebrating 10 years in business this year so it's fantastic to see the team’s hard work, creativity and strategic thinking continue to shine through, and that our efforts are recognised not just by our clients, but by our peers in PR as well.
“The award and commendations for our work with the Dillon Quirke Foundation feel particularly meaningful given our shared Tipperary roots and the huge impact that Dillon’s legacy has had for the sporting community across Ireland. We’re committed to working with organisations, like the Foundation, that are contributing to positive societal change across Ireland and beyond. It's also been lovely to work alongside my cousin, Niall Quinn, in his role as Chair of the Foundation – and to work with Dan and all the team there too."