The winners of the 2025 Irish Journalism Awards, supported by Google News Initiative, and in association with Newsbrands Ireland, have been announced at an awards luncheon at the Round Room in Dublin’s Mansion House.
The industry awards were hosted by broadcaster Matt Cooper with members of the Journalism Awards independent judging panel announcing the winners. Entry to the awards was open to any work published in print, online, video, or audio from national newspapers or digital news members of The Press Council of Ireland with a focus on national/ international news.
Special Guest at the Awards, Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan TD said: “I was very pleased to address the Irish Journalism Awards today hosted by NewsBrands Ireland. The global media landscape has become more polarised and the social media landscape even more so. Therefore, fact based journalism has never been more important in today’s world of misinformation and disinformation. I congratulate the nominees and winners and wish them continued success.”
A total of 23 category awards were announced, and the prestigious overall Journalist of the Year award was presented to Sally Hayden of The Irish Times .
Google News Initiative continues in 2025 as the awards Gold Sponsor along with category sponsor Amazon
Announcing the Journalist of the Year winner for 2025, on behalf of the members of the independent judging panel, Claire Grady, Chair of the Judging Panel, said that: “These awards showcase excellence in journalism in Ireland today. The winners, and indeed those who made the shortlists, have proven themselves masters of their craft. They bring important issues to public attention, give voice to people not usually listened to, hold power to account and, sometimes, entertain us. The journalists honoured here show that in a world of noise and fierce competition for attention, they can be counted upon to be trustworthy, accountable and reliable sources of news, and commentary..”
Speaking about the awards Ann Marie Lenihan, CEO of Newsbrands said: “In an era of noise, spin and outright misinformation, real journalism stands as a bulwark against the destruction of truth and the lies that are undermining democracies across the globe. At NewsBrands, we’re proud of the courage and integrity of our own journalists as they continue to tell the stories that matter, challenge power, and expose the falsehoods that seek to shape our future. It’s an honour to celebrate that enduring commitment to real independent journalism through these awards and celebrate the talented journalists, editorial teams, and news publishers, who remain dedicated to investing in and supporting high quality journalism.”
Addressing the Awards, Hayley Cochrane Director of News Partnerships UK/ Northern Europe Google News Initiative also added: “The Google News Initiative is delighted to continue our partnership with the Irish Journalism Awards, celebrating the vital role of journalism. Ireland is fortunate to have such dedicated and talented journalists consistently delivering exceptional reporting to the public. These awards serve as a powerful tribute to their indispensable work. The Google News Initiative remains committed to fostering a thriving Irish media landscape and I am looking forward congratulating all the incredible winners this year.”
The winners of the 2025 Irish Journalism Awards are as follows:
Arts Journalism & Criticism 2025
Rosita Boland
The Irish Times
Business Journalist 2025
Killian Woods
The Business Post
Columnist (Broadsheet/Compact) 2025
Rosin Ingle
The Irish Times
Columnist (Popular) 2025
Brenda Power
Irish Daily Mail
Crime Journalist 2025
Michael O’Toole
Irish Daily Star/ Irish Daily Mirror
Campaigning Journalism 2025
Michael O’Farrell
Irish Mail on Sunday/Irish Daily Mail
Front Page 2025
EAU DANNY BOY
The Irish Sun
Headline 2025
“The Family that Preys Together”
The Irish Sun on Sunday
Magazine of the Year 2025
Vickie Maye & Nicole Glennon
Irish Examiner Weekend
Digital Innovation of the Year 2025
North Star
The Business Post Team
The Business Post
Features (Broadsheet/Compact) 2025
Sally Hayden
The Irish Times
Features (Popular) 2025
Jenny Friel
Irish Daily Mail
Investigative Journalism 2025
John Mooney
The Sunday Times
Foreign Coverage 2025
Sally Hayden
The Irish Times
News Reporter 2025
Ken Foxe
Freelance / The Irish Times
Political Journalist 2025
John Mooney
The Sunday Times
Best Video Journalism 2025
Chris Maddaloni
The Irish Times
Young Journalist 2025
Conor O’Carroll
The Journal Investigates
Podcast of the Year 2025
John Lee
Irish Mail on Sunday/Irish Daily Mail
Scoop 2025
Michael O’Toole
Irish Daily Star/ Irish Daily Mirror
Showbiz Journalist 2025
Eugene Masterson
Sunday World
Sports Writer (Broadsheet/Compact) 2025
Ian O’Riordan
The Irish Times
Sports Writer (Popular/Tabloid) 2025
Derek Foley
Irish Daily Star/Irish Daily Mirror
Journalist of the Year 2025
Sally Hayden
The Irish Times
