Chronicle among the winners at Local Ireland Media Awards
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Celtic Media Group success... Eilis Ryan (Best Feature Writer) Westmeath Examiner; Tom Kelly, editor, Connaught Telegraph (Best Local Advertisement); Gavan Becton, editor, Meath Chronicle (Best Use of Digital) and Linda O’Reilly, managing editor, Anglo Celt, accepting the Best News Story award on behalf of Eddie Butler.Image 2 of 3
Jimmy Geoghegan, nominated for Best Sports Journalist, and his wife Margo, with editor Gavan Becton at the Local Ireland Awards.Image 3 of 3
Gavan Becton chats with Local Ireland Media Awards host Marty Whelan after winning the Best Use of Digital award.There were great celebrations at the Bloomfield House Hotel near Mullingar last week with the announcement of the winners for the eighth annual Local Ireland Media Awards.
Sixteen awards were presented, including to the Meath Chronicle for Best Use of Digital while there were joint winners of the sponsor’s award for the National Lottery Best Community Story.
A special Lifetime Achievement presentation was made to former Western People editor, Terry Reilly, for his outstanding contribution to journalism and his community in Mayo.
The Meath Chronicle was nominated for six awards, with parent company Celtic Media shortlisted for 19 awards in total.
The ceremony was hosted by Lyric FM presenter and Eurovision guru, Marty Whelan.
President of Local Ireland and head of Irish Times Regionals, Dan Linehan, said the awards “reflect the professionalism, quality and skillset across the newsrooms of regional newspapers in Ireland who provide the highest quality local news and sports coverage in print and online every day and every week to our readers.
“We also appreciate the work of our judges, who, with their experience and personal skills, ensure that these awards are judged to the highest standard and that they are a benchmark for quality journalism in Ireland.
“Finally, we thank the National Lottery for their continued support for the Local Ireland Media Awards – this partnership allows us to recognise the work of journalists across the country working in local regions and servicing their communities.”
Chair of the judges, journalist, author and broadcaster Alison O’Connor said: “This year’s entries show the excellent quality of regional journalism that exists in Ireland.
“From front pages to news stories, to columnists, features and photographs, readers are so well served by their local publications.
“There is breadth and depth across the range, from the hard-hitting news articles to the softer features – all giving an important insight into the heart of our local communities. Picking just a few nominees for each category was often a highly challenging task. But those nominated show the many examples of excellence to be found in regional publishing.”
The judging panel also includes 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, and journalist and author, PJ Cunningham.
Meath Chronicle editor, Gavan Becton, who accepted the award for Best Use of Digital for the paper's indepth piece on life inside Meath's Ukrainian Rest Centre, said he was delighted for the paper to be recognised at the prestigious Local Ireland Awards and praised reporters, Ann Casey and Jimmy Geoghegan who were shortlisted in the Best News Series and Best Sport Journalist categories.
"To be nominated for these awards is a reflection of the work our team endeavours to put in each week to deliver quality news, features, sport and entertainment across all our platforms.Congratulations to all who were shortlisted and on a great night for our industry."