Irish Examiner scoops seven design awards

THE Irish Examiner has scooped another seven design awards – including a prestigious Silver Award from the Society of News Design Scandinavia for a special supplement marking the inauguration of US president Barack Obama.

Competing against 237 newspapers, the Irish Examiner picked up five awards at the 10th European Newspaper Awards – including Awards of Excellence for two concept front pages marking the resignation of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and a special investigation into the human cost of Ireland’s growing drug problem.

Awards were also given for Drugs and Ireland – a supplement exploring the extent of the drugs problem on the ground and Religion and Ireland – two supplements which examined the changing face of religion in multi-cultural Ireland.

An innovative guide to wine was also singled out for an Award of Excellence in the magazine category.

The newspaper also picked up two awards at the annual Scandinavia news design conference hosted by Society of News Design Scandinavia – including a Silver Diploma for a commemorative supplement on the historic inauguration of Barack Obama and an Award of Excellence for the Religion and Ireland supplements.

Irish Examiner editor Tim Vaughan said the awards were a tribute to the top-class editorial team at the newspaper.

“We have some of the most talented and innovative people in the business, and this has been recognised time and again, nationally and internationally,” said Mr Vaughan.

The latest design awards followed last year’s dominance by the Irish Examiner at the Law Society’s Justice Media Awards, for a range of hard-hitting investigative series by the newspaper, he said.

Meanwhile, the Irish Examiner has been short-listed for three National Media Awards.

Features Editor Vickie Maye’s exclusive story of Irish intern Niamh Gunn’s battle to free Walter Swift, who spent 26 years in a US prison for a crime he didn’t commit, is among the finalists in the Social/Humanitarian Affairs Journalist of the Year category.

Journalist Claire O’Sullivan has also been short-listed in the same category for a series of exclusive news stories, thought-provoking commentary and analysis which helped lift the lid on the scandal of clerical abuse in the Diocese of Cloyne.

Claire was the driving force behind a sustained Irish Examiner campaign, which forced the Government to publish the much delayed report into clerical abuse and eventually forced Bishop John Magee to step down.

Award-winning sports journalist Liam Mackey has also been short-listed for the Sports Journalist of the Year Award.