- Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources presents the inaugural NNI Journalism Awards
- 13 national and regional journalists honoured at the inaugural NNI Journalism Awards
- Design award goes to Irish Examiner; People Newspapers (Wexford) scoops Newspapers in Education award
- Special award for Outstanding Contribution to the Newspaper Industry goes to ex-Irish Times editor Geraldine Kennedy
The inaugural NNI (National Newspaper of Ireland) Journalism Awards took place in Dublin’s Four Season’s Hotel this afternoon. The cream of Ireland’s newspaper industry were on hand to see Simon Carswell, financial correspondent for The Irish Times crowned NNI National Journalist of the Year 2011.
Mr Carswell was nominated for a series of reports on the financial crisis, including an exclusive interview with former Anglo chief David Drumm and an article about how the bank guarantee came into place. He was presented with his award by Paul Cooke, Chairman of National Newspaper of Ireland, and Michael Brophy, Chairman of the NNI Journalism Awards judging panel.
“Many distinguished journalists have led their readers through the financial turmoil, which has followed since the morning of September 30th 2008, but none more so that our National Journalist of the Year,” said Mr Brophy.
“He has brought us inside the very rooms where the banking deal was finally hammered out and has, since then, produced an extraordinary body of work, which has helped to inform a disbelieving public,” Mr Brophy added. “He has helped us understand why things have happened in the way the way they have happened. The NNI Journalist of the Year 2011 is Simon Carswell of The Irish Times.”
List Of Winners
National Journalist of the Year was one of 13 journalistic awards presented across a range of categories, with the full list of winners as follows:
National Journalist of the Year – Simon Carswell (The Irish Times)
Regional Journalist of the Year – Colette Browne (Wexford Echo)
Young Journalist of the Year – Fiach Kelly (Irish Independent)
Best Design & Presentation award – Irish Examiner
Feature Writer of the Year – Kathy Sheridan (The Irish Times)
Business & Economics Journalist of the Year – Tom Lyons & Brian Carey (The Sunday Times)
Political Journalist of the Year – Miriam Lord (The Irish Times)
‘Scoop’ of the Year – Senan Molony (Irish Daily Mail – for ‘Healey Rae’)
Columnist/Commentator of the Year – Martina Devlin (Irish Independent)
Critic of the Year – Patrick Freyne (Evening Herald/Sunday Tribune)
Sports Journalist of the Year – Kieran Shannon (Irish Examiner/Sunday Tribune)
Showbiz Story of the Year – Jennifer O’Brien (Irish Sun)
Newspapers in Education (NiE) award – People Newspapers ‘Transition Year Project’
