The Irish Times has won two prizes in this year’s National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) awards, presented in Dublin today.
Literary Correspondent Eileen Battersby was named as Critic of the Year, while Miriam Lord won her second consecutive Political Journalist of the Year award.
The award for NNI National Journalist of the Year was presented to Michael Brennan, Fiach Kelly, Cormac McQuinn and Fionnan Sheahan, the four-man team behind the Irish Independent's 2011 presidential election coverage.
Runners-up for the overall title were Michael O'Farrell of the Irish Mail on Sunday and Mary Fitzgerald, Foreign Affairs correspondent of The Irish Times.
The Irish Times had also claimed the highest number of nominations at 14.
As well as announcing 17 category winners at the Four Seasons Hotel in Ballsbridge, the NNI presented a posthumous award for "outstanding contribution to the newspaper industry" to former Sunday Independent editor Aengus Fanning who died last January.
Legendary sports journalist Con Houlihan, who also died this year, was also honoured with NNI Supreme Wordsmith award.
Other journalists who died over the past 14 months were remembered, including Mary Raftery, Seamus McConville of the Kerryman, Caroline Walsh, Maeve Binchy, Belfast-based Jimmy Kelly and Eugene Moloney.
NNI National Journalist of the Year: Irish Independent Presidential Election Team
Best Design & Presentation: Irish Daily Mail
Business & Economics Journalist of the Year: Ian Kehoe, Sunday Business Post
Columnist of the Year: Justine McCarthy, The Sunday Times
Commentator of the Year: Dermot Bolger, Irish Daily Mail
Crime & Security Reporter of the Year: Nicola Tallant, Sunday World
Critic of the Year: Eileen Battersby, The Irish Times
Feature Writer of the Year: Philip Nolan, Irish Daily Mail
Headline of the Year: Irish Daily Star – "Tiocfaidh Ar Lamh"
Newspapers in Education: Irish Independent
Political Journalist of the Year: Miriam Lord, The Irish Times
Regional Journalist of the Year: Marisa Reidy,The Kerryman
Scoop of the Year: Michael O'Farrell, Irish Mail on Sunday
Sports Columnist of the Year: Eamonn Sweeney, Sunday Independent
Sports Reporter of the Year: Ewan MacKenna, Irish Examiner
Showbiz Journalist of the Year: Alexandra Ryan, Irish Mail on Sunday
Young Journalist: Jennifer Bray, Irish Daily Mail
