The Shortlist for the 2025 Irish Journalism Awards, in association with NewsBrands Ireland and supported by Google News Initiative has been announced.
The awards programme celebrates the best of Irish journalism across 23 categories, spanning all areas of modern journalism. From podcasts and political coverage, to opinion, investigative, sports, and video journalism, the awards reflect the diverse and evolving landscape of contemporary news media.
Entry to the Irish Journalism Awards is open to any work published in print, online, video, or audio in a national news title that is a member of the Press Council of Ireland, and which has a focus on national/ international news.
The full Shortlist can be viewed HERE
Titles across the spectrum of quality Irish journalism are represented on the shortlist including The Irish Times, Irish Examiner, The Sunday Times, The Irish Sun, Irish Daily Star, Irish Sun on Sunday, Irish Daily Mail, The Irish Mail on Sunday, Irish Mirror, Irish Daily Star, Business Post, Irish Farmers Journal, The Journal.ie, Irish Independent, Extra.ie, EVOKE, and the Sunday World.
A panel of independent journalism experts assessed the entries according to the following criteria: subject matter, rigour of reporting, writing style, integrity, and impact. View the full judging panel HERE
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on November 12th in Dublin’s Mansion House.
Speaking about the shortlist, Ann Marie Lenihan, CEO of NewsBrands Ireland, said:
“This shortlist demonstrates that Irish journalism continues to hold power to account and provide the public with information backed up with facts. Though Irish publishers compete fiercely for readers, what binds them together is their shared commitment to upholding ethics and standards in journalism. Sincere congratulations to all nominees.”
Hayley Cochrane, Director of News Partnerships UK/ Northern Europe 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 to seeing all the incredible entries this year.”
Des Doris, Managing Director of Alchemy commented:
“We are delighted to announce a shortlist that demonstrates the quality and breadth of Irish Journalism. From domestic and international coverage, to news, scoops and investigative endeavour, to entertainment, sport and in depth analysis, this shortlist demonstrates the range of journalistic endeavour,” added Des Doris, Alchemy Events, which is the organiser.
“Thanks so much to our judges, led by Claire Grady for their tireless time and effort and thank you to our sponsors for supporting the craft of journalism. We look forward to honouring the very best in Irish Journalism at the awards lunch on November 12th and for many years to come”
Irish Journalism Awards Shortlist 2025
Arts Journalism & Criticism
Aoife Barry – The Sunday Times
Deirdre Falvey – The Irish Times
Freya McClements – The Irish Times
Martin Doyle – The Irish Times
Philip Watson – The Irish Times
Rosita Boland – The Irish Times
Best Video Journalism
Andrei Scintian – Irish Mirror
Bryan O’Brien – The Irish Times
Chani Anderson – Irish Examiner
Chris Maddaloni – The Irish Times
Enda O’Dowd – The Irish Times
Ronan McGreevy – The Irish Times
Business Journalist
Charlie Weston – The Irish Independent
Dominic McGrath – Business Post
Jack Power – The Irish Times
Joe Brennan – The Irish Times
Killian Woods – Business Post
Mark Paul – The Irish Times
Campaigning Journalism
Adam Higgins, Mark May, Fiona Wynne – The Irish Sun
Ciara Leahy – Irish Country Living
John Lee – Irish Mail on Sunday and Irish Daily Mail
Larissa Nolan on behalf of the “MISSED” campaign team in the Irish Mirror – Irish Mirror
Michael O’Farrell – Irish Mail on Sunday/Irish Daily Mail
Nicola Donnelly – Irish Star/Reach PLC
Columnist (Broadsheet/Compact)
Brenda Power – The Sunday Times
Fintan O’Toole – The Irish Times
Justine McCarthy – The Irish Times
Mark O’Connell – The Irish Times
Mick Clifford – Irish Examiner
Rosin Ingle – The Irish Times
Columnist (Popular)
Brenda Power – Irish Daily Mail
Damien Lane – The Irish Sun
Larissa Nolan – Irish Mirror
Lisa Brady – Irish Daily Mail
Mary Carr – Irish Mail on Sunday
Neil Leslie – Irish Daily Star
Crime Journalist
Conor Lally – The Irish Times
John Lee – Irish Mail on Sunday/Irish Daily Mail
John Mooney – The Sunday Times
Michael O’Toole – Irish Daily Mirror/ Irish Daily Star
Nicola Donnelly – Irish Star & Irish Mirror
Paul Healy – Irish Daily Star and Irish Mirror
Digital Innovation of the Year
Business Post Team – Business Post – North Star
The Irish Mirror team – Irish Mirror
Extra.ie – Extraverts – Extra.ie
Niamh Walsh – Styled by Niamh – dmg media
The Irish Times Audience Team – The Irish Times
Visual Media and News Desks – Irish Examiner
Features (Broadsheet/Compact)
Cormac O’Keeffe – Irish Examiner
John Mooney – The Sunday Times
Killian Woods – Business Post
Laura Slattery – The Irish Times
Mick Clifford – Irish Examiner
Sally Hayden – The Irish Times
Features (Popular)
Adam Higgins – The Irish Sun
David Mac Redmond – The Journal
Jenny Friel – Irish Daily Mail
Maeve Quigley – Irish Daily Mail
Rosalind Skillen – Irish Country Living
Stephen Breen – The Irish Sun
Foreign coverage
Hannah McCarthy – The Irish Times
Keith Duggan – The Irish Times
Lara Marlowe – The Irish Times
Niamh Griffin – Irish Examiner
Patrick Freyne and Chris Maddaloni (team) – The Irish Times
Sally Hayden – The Irish Times
Front Page
Budget 2025 – The Irish Farmers Journal
Eau Danny Boy – The Irish Sun
Holy Show – Irish Daily Mail
Keelie Liberte – Irish Daily Star
Tax Mirage – Business Post
The Pope – The Irish Times
Headline
A Guy Full of Jars – Irish Daily Mirror
We’ve Solved the Housing Cr-Ice-Is – The Irish Sun
Another Kick in the Huts – The Irish Sun
P-P-P Pick on the Penguin – Irish Daily Mirror
The Family That Preys Together… – The Irish Sun on Sunday
From Wee Daniel to They Daniel – Irish Mail on Sunday
Investigative Journalism
John Mooney – The Sunday Times
Killian Woods and Peter O’Dwyer – Business Post
Maria Delaney – The Journal Investigates
Mark Paul – The Irish Times
Michael O’Farrell – Irish Mail on Sunday
Olivia Kelly, Jack White, Colm Keena, Ronan McGreevy – The Irish Times
Magazine of the Year
The Irish Times Magazine – Ciara Kenny and Nadine O’Regan
Irish Country Living – Ciara Leahy & Audrey Kane
Irish Daily Star – Inside Sport -David Coughlan
Irish Country Living Food – Janine Kennedy & Audrey Kane
Irish Daily Star – Chic – Rachel Beresford
Irish Examiner Weekend – Vickie Maye
News Reporter
Arthur Beesley – The Irish Times
Craig Hughes – Irish Daily Mail
Ken Foxe – Freelance/Irish Times
Kitty Holland – The Irish Times
Miriam Lord – The Irish Times
Niamh Towey – The Irish Times
Podcast of the Year
Irish Examiner – Troubled Ground – Alison O’Reilly, Deirdre O’Shaughnessy, Sheila Reilly, Ivan Rodriguez, Jim Coughlan, Anna O’Donoghue, Lisa Coughlan
The Journal and The 42 – The 42FM – Gavin Cooney, Sinead O’Carroll, Ronan Early, Nicky Ryan and Gareth Lyons
The Irish Times – Inside Politics, Election Daily – Hugh Linehan, Pat Leahy, Jack Horgan-Jones, Jennifer Bray, Harry McGee, Cormac McQuinn, Sarah Burns, Declan Conlon
Irish Mail on Sunday/Irish Daily Mail – From Bomb to Ballot – John Lee
The Irish Sun – This is Robert – Neil Cotter, Nicola Bardon, Michael Doyle, Stephen Breen, Damien Lane
Irish Mirror and Irish Daily Star – Shattered Lives – Paul Healy, Michael O’Toole and Andrei Scintian
Political journalist
Craig Hughes – Irish Daily Mail
Elaine Loughlin – Irish Examiner
Ellen Coyne – The Irish Times
Gabija Gataveckaite – The Irish Independent
John Lee – Irish Mail on Sunday/Irish Daily Mail
John Mooney – The Sunday Times
Scoop
Craig Hughes – Irish Daily Mail
John Mooney – The Sunday Times
Michael O’Farrell – Irish Mail on Sunday
Michael O’Toole – Irish Daily Star/ Irish Daily Mirror
Paul Healy and Michael O’Toole – Irish Daily Star/ Irish Daily Mirror
Saoirse McGarrigle – The Journal
Showbiz Journalist
Esther McCarthy – Freelance
Eugene Masterson – Sunday World
Ken Sweeney – The Irish Sun
Maeve Quigley – Irish Daily Mail
Sandra Mallon – Irish Daily Star/Irish Mirror/Sunday Mirror (REACH PLC)
Tom Doorley– The Sunday Times
Sports Writer (Broadsheet/Compact)
Denis Walsh – The Irish Times
Gavin Cooney – The 42
Gordon Manning – The Irish Times
Ian O’Riordan – The Irish Times
Malachy Clerkin – The Irish Times
Michael Foley – The Sunday Times
Sports Writer (Popular)
David Coughlan – Irish Daily Star/Irish Daily Mirror
Derek Foley – Irish Daily Star/Irish Daily Mirror
Mark Gallagher – Irish Mail on Sunday
Neil O’Riordan – The Irish Sun
Roy Curtis – Irish Daily Star
Shane McGrath – Irish Mail on Sunday
Young
Conor O’Carroll – The Journal Investigates
Fionn Thompson – Business Post
Niamh Browne – The Irish Times
Rosalind Skillen – Irish Country Living
Ruby Eastwood – The Irish Times
Sarah McGuinness – Irish Daily Mail
