Mick Clifford named Broadsheet Columnist of the year at Irish Journalism Awards
Mick Clifford was also shortlisted separately for his features and the Mick Clifford Podcast. File picture: Moya Nolan
Special Correspondent Mick Clifford has been awarded the Broadsheet Columnist of the Year at this year's Irish Journalism Awards.
In selecting Mr Clifford as the overall winner, the judges highlighted three columns covering, respectively, the case of Mark Lawlor, who died in his prison cell in Cloverhill Prison in November 2019, comments made by Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary on the role of aviation in the climate crisis, and the spread of misinformation online, and the extent to which mainstream politicians contribute to it.
Mr Clifford also received nominations in the Features Journalist of the Year (Broadsheet) category and the Podcast of the Year Category for the  podcast that bears his name.
Speaking at the awards ceremony in Dublin's Mansion House on Wednesday afternoon, Editor Tom Fitzpatrick said he was "proud to see Mick's work deservedly recognised by being named Ireland's columnist of the year".
"Each week, he tells it as he sees it, without fear or favour," Mr Fitzpatrick said.
"That he was also shortlisted separately for his features and the Mick Clifford Podcast, shows the quality, depth and strength of his work, which we are proud to bring to readers each week."
Overall, the received 13 nominations at this year's awards.
reporter Alison O’Reilly was among the nominees in the Scoop of the Year category for her interview with the mother of the five-year-old girl who was stabbed outside her school on Parnell Street in November 2023. Ms O'Reilly was also nominated in the Crime Journalist of the Year category, alongside Security Correspondent Cormac O'Keeffe.
Social Media Editor Anna O'Donoghue was nominated in the Digital Innovation category for her work on ieExplains, a jargon-free and informative breakdown of the stories making the news.
In the Campaigning Journalism category, the received a nomination for the Read My Lips campaign, a special cervical screening initiative in memory of Irish campaigner and women’s healthcare advocate Vicky Phelan.
photographer Chani Anderson was nominated in the Best Video Journalism category for her videos on iconic Irish producer and cultural trailblazer Lelia Doolan celebrating her 90th birthday by skydiving to raise money for Médecins Sans Frontières, an 11-year-old girl from Douglas donating her communion dress to Cork Penny Dinners, and her highlights from the Cork City Marathon.
Brendan O'Brien received a nomination for Sports Writer of the Year (Broadsheet), while Noel Baker and Esther McCarthy were nominated in the Arts Journalism & Criticism and Showbiz Journalism categories, respectively.
Finally, the front page of the Irish Examiner's November 24, 2023 edition — the day after the Dublin riots — was nominated in the Front Page of the Year category.
Irish Examiner contributors Cathal Dennehy and Hannah McCarthy also won awards for sports writing and foreign coverage for work published in the Sunday Independent and Irish Times.
The full list of winners is as follows:Â
- Killian Woods, The Business PostÂ
- Â Keith Duggan, The Irish TimesÂ
- Brenda Power, The Irish Daily MailÂ
- Â Conor Gallagher, The Irish TimesÂ
- Sally Hayden, The Irish TimesÂ
- Debbie McCann, The Irish Mail on SundayÂ
- Hannah McCarthy, The Irish TimesÂ
- Toe Show the Farcical, The Irish SunÂ
- I should be so Tiochaidh, The Irish Daily StarÂ
- Â Mark Tighe and Marie Crowe, Sunday Independent
- The Ticket, The Irish TimesÂ
- Â Donal Lynch, The Sunday IndependentÂ
- Kitty Holland, The Irish Times Â
- The Irish TimesÂ
- The Stardust Tragedy, The Irish SunÂ
- Daniel Murray, The Business PostÂ
- NĂall Feiritear, Sunday WorldÂ
- Cathal Dennehy, Sunday IndependentÂ
- Derek Foley, The Irish Daily StarÂ
- Enda O'Dowd, The Irish TimesÂ
- Eimer McAuley, The JournalÂ
- Mark Tighe and Marie Crowe, Sunday IndependentÂ
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