Mediahuis Ireland has won nine awards at the 2022 NewsBrands Ireland Journalism Awards.
The Irish Independent’s Shane Phelan was named News Reporter of the Year for his work.
Articles included breaking the allegation by a whistleblower that a junior doctor attached to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) unit in South Kerry engaged in the inappropriate prescription of multiple medications to young mental health patients.
He also revealed how a member of former billionaire Seán Quinn’s family had mounted a successful campaign to have press coverage about their past ‘forgotten’ by Google.
Separately, Irish Independent photographer Mark Condren, deputy head of visuals Owen Breslin and the Mediahuis team were awarded Best Video Journalism Award for their coverage of the Ukraine refugee crisis.
The Local News Project won the Digital Innovation Award for Mediahuis.
The Sunday Independent was also successful at the award ceremony held in the Mansion House in Dublin, with Paul Kimmage being named Broadsheet Sports Journalist for 2022 and Gene Kerrigan named as Broadsheet Columnist of the Year.
The Sunday Independent’s Life Magazine, meanwhile, was awarded newspaper Magazine of the Year.
From the Sunday World, Patrick O’Connell was named Crime Journalist of the Year, Roy Curtis was named Popular Columnist of the Year and Eugene Masterson received the Showbiz Journalist of the Year award.
Editor-in-chief of Mediahuis Ireland Cormac Bourke said: “We are delighted with this recognition of our journalism.
“Our local news project, which won Best Digital Innovation, is an example of how Mediahuis is using our existing resources to best serve our growing audience.
“It has brought the work of regional journalists to a national audience, and by extension all of our newsrooms closer together.”
Mr Bourke said in relation to Mark Condren’s “best video” award: “His work, alongside Fionnán Sheahan on the Ukraine war earlier this year was exemplary.”
Mr Bourke also pointed out that Shane Phelan’s work in exposing the scandal in the south Kerry mental health services was “one of the standout stories of the year.”
The overall Journalist of the Year Award was presented to Daniel McConnell from the Irish Examiner.
