Our writers scoop three top awards
THE Irish Mail on Sunday scooped two awards at the annual News brands Journalism Awards on Thursday.
Norma Costello won the ‘Crime Story of The Year’ prize for her exclusive interview with
Isis bride Lisa Smith from inside a refugee camp on the Syria Iraq border.
The judges remarked: ‘Exclusives are elusive and the exclusive tag is often exaggerated… although, not with this year’s winner.’
Investigations Editor Michael O’Farrell was named ‘Business Journalist of the Year’ for a number of exclusive stories, ranging from a blind eye being turned by fishing authorities, to Michael Fingleton doing a property deal in Montenegro when he was supposedly too ill to attend the Central Bank inquiry, as well as an exclusive interview with cycling legend Stephen Roche on his financial difficulties.
Our sister paper also won a major award. The MoS and Irish Daily Mail Chief Reporter Catherine Fegan claimed the ‘Features (Popular)’ category for her work focusing on the Mr Moonlight murder trial, published in the Irish Daily Mail.
In total the MoS received 10 nominations, with Mr O’Farrell also being nominated for ‘Business Story of the Year’.
Anne Sheridan received a nomination for ‘Investigative Journalism’ of the year following her exposé on Bishop Eamon Casey and the litany of sexual abuse cases against him. The MoS also received a nomination for Campaigning Journalism.
Craig Hughes was nominated for ‘Showbiz Story of the Year’ after detailing a letter from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to pop princess Kylie Minogue. While MoS Chief Sports Writer Shane McGrath was also nominated for ‘Sports Journalist of the Year’.