Sunday Independent writers shortlisted for awards

THE Sunday Independent’s team of journalists has been recognised for excellence with a host of our writers shortlisted in the 2016 NewsBrands Journalism Awards.

Our agenda-setting political coverage has been rewarded with a series of nominations for Political Story of the Year, thanks to contributions from Niamh Horan and Jody Corcoran, who is also short-listed for Political Journalist of the Year.

The Sunday Independent dominates the Broadsheet Features section, in which Maeve Sheehan and Campbell Spray have both been nominated.

In the Young Journalist category, Claire McCormack has been recognised for her outstanding work, while Elle Gordon has been shortlisted in the Popular Features section. Our gifted and outspoken writer Gene Kerrigan is also nominated for the Broadsheet Columnist of the Year award.

There are nominations for Sunday Independent writers Neil Francis for top Sports Writer, and Mark O’Regan, who is in the running for Showbiz Story, while Andrea Smith and Donal Lynch are both nominated for Showbiz Journalist. Adrian Weckler is listed for Business Journalist, while politics writer Niall O’Connor has been nominated for his work with the Sunday Independent.

Independent News and Media (INM) journalists feature strongly across all categories. Independent. ie Deputy Editor Jason O’Brien has been shortlisted in the Foreign Coverage section alongside the Irish Independent’s Mary Fitzgerald.

Digital Innovation is a new category addition to the awards — sponsored by the National Lottery —andi ndependent.ie is nominated for both its Euro 2016 coverage and for an investigative report on rents.

Digital sports journalist Will Slattery has also been shortlisted in the Sports Writer category alongside well-known sports reporter Vincent Hogan.

INM Personal Finance Editor Charlie Weston is listed for Business Journalist, while Brexit Correspondent Colm Kelpie is up for Best Business Story.

Meanwhile, INM Group Business Editor Dearbhail McDonald is also shortlisted in the best Columnist-Broadsheet category, while the Sunday World’s Paddy Murray features in the Popular Columnist category.

The Herald’s Robin Schiller and Ken Foy are listed in addition to INM special correspondent Paul Williams and the Sunday World’s Nicola Tallant are all listed for best Crime Journalist.

The Herald crime team has also been shortlisted in the Scoop category — and their ‘Hotel Killers’ front page is also in the running for a prize. The Front Page category also features the Sunday World’s ‘Face Off ’.

Irish Independent Environment Editor Paul Melia and the Sunday World’s Nicola Tallant and Alan Sherry also feature in the Crime Story category shortlist. Meanwhile, the Sunday World’s Kevin Palmer and Roy Curtis and the Irish Independent’s Vincent Hogan — have been listed in the Best Sports Story category.

The Sunday World’s Denise Smith is also in the running for the Young Journalist award.

INM’s showbiz coverage has been further recognised with nominations for Melanie Finn and Daragh Keany.