After a three year gap, the Irish newspaper awards returned with 25 awards being presented last Thursday at the Newsbrands Ireland Journalism Awards. The overall 2016 Journalist of the Year award went to Michael Clifford of the Irish Examiner, the first time the Irish Examiner has won the accolade. He also won the Columnist of the Year award for the broadsheet newspapers. In his citation, the judges said that he is
"a journalist who has demonstrated that, although he is a winner in one category, he would be equally at home in several others. In everything Michael Clifford does – commentary, analysis, exposés – he is driven by the three basic characteristics of good journalism in any paper, on any topic, and in any age: evidence, accuracy, and fair-mindedness. And good writing, of course – that goes without saying.”’
The winners are listed below. The citations for each of the winners are available here.
Journalist of the Year: Michael Clifford, Irish Examiner
Business Journalist of the Year: Tom Lyons, The Sunday Business Post
Business Story of the Year: Fearghal O’Connor, The Sunday Business Post
Columnist of the Year – Broadsheet: Michael Clifford, Irish Examiner
Columnist of the Year – Popular: Paddy Murray, Sunday World
Crime Journalist of the Year: Nicola Tallant, Sunday World
Crime Story of the Year: Alan Sherry, Sunday World
Critic of the Year: Patrick Freyne, The Irish Times
Digital Innovation Award: The Irish Times, Remembering the 1916 Rising
Feature Writer of the Year (Popular): Catherine Fegan, Irish Daily Mail / The Irish Mail on Sunday
Feature Writer of the Year (Broadsheet): Susan Mitchell, The Sunday Business Post
Foreign Coverage of the Year: Jason O’Brien, Irish Independent
Front Page of the Year: The Herald, ‘Hotel Killers’
Headline of the Year: The Irish Sun, ‘Charlie Chaplain’
Investigative Journalism of the Year: Peter Murtagh, The Irish Times
News Analysis of the Year: Rosita Boland, The Irish Times
News Reporter of the Year: Patrick O’Connell, Irish Daily Star / Sunday World
Political Journalist of the Year: Jody Corcoran, Sunday Independent
Political Story of the Year: Niamh Horan, Sunday Independent
Showbiz Journalist of the Year: Ken Sweeney, The Irish Sun
Showbiz Story of the Year: Maeve Quigley, Irish Daily Mirror
Sports Story of the Year: Vincent Hogan, Irish Independent
Sports Writer of the Year: Neil Francis, Sunday Independent
Scoop of the Year: Sunday World Crime Team, Sunday World
Young Journalist of the Year: Sean Dunne, Irish Daily Mail
