Ireland’s top business journalists have been recognised in seven categories at the 11th annual UCD Smurfit School Business Journalist Awards. The awards, which salute excellence in business Irish journalism – in print, broadcast and online formats – were sponsored by Open Eir in conjunction with the Business Journalists Association of Ireland (BJAI).
The winners of the seven categories are:
- Business News Story – Mark Paul and Ciaran Hancock, The Irish Times – for their submission ‘INM confirms clash over Newstalk bid’
- Economic Commentator/Business Analyst – Brian Carey, The Sunday Times – Foreign Direct Investment, NAMA & Independent News & Media
- Business Feature – Ian Kehoe, Sunday Business Post/RTÉ – for his TV documentary about vulture funds entitled, ‘The Great Irish Sell-Off’
- Specialist Business Reporter – Mark Tighe, The Sunday Times – for his two submissions one on Denis O’Brien with the second entitled, ‘Judging the Judges’
- Business Interview – Gretchen Friemann, INM – for her interview with Jeremy Masding, CEO of Permanent TSB
- Upcoming Journalist of the Year – Peter O’Dwyer, Ireland Edition of the Times
- Technology Reporter – Adrian Weckler, INM – for his article on the Dark Web
An outstanding achievement award was presented to RTÉ’s Ingrid Miley for her contribution to business journalism in a career spanning almost 40 years. Miley’s ability to bring insight and clarity to complex industrial relations issues Ireland has faced was highlighted, including major strikes and reports on negotiations in public sector pay and reform.
Her work on dealing with issues such as the exploitation of workers and precarious contracts was also singled out. In winning the award, Miley becomes the first female winner and joins seven previous outstanding achievement awardees: Frank Fitzgibbon, Brendan Keenan, Cliff Taylor, Damien Kiberd, Richard Curran, Matt Cooper and Charlie Weston.
This year’s judges were Emer Gilvarry, partner, Mason Hayes & Curran (chair); Jim Aughney, journalist, media and finance consultant; Dr. Mary Canning, course director master of accounting, UCD Smurfit School; Pat Costello, former CEO, Chartered Accountants Ireland; Aidan Cotter, former CEO, Bord Bia; Jon Ihle, head of communications, Goodbody; Damien McLoughlin, marketing professor, UCD Smurfit School; Ronan Murphy, chairman, Business in the Community Ireland; Orlagh Nevin, director of sales, marketing and service, Open Eir; Breege O’Donoghue, ex-group director, Penneys/Primark; Emmet Oliver, director of communications, Irish League of Credit Unions; Rodney Rice, former RTÉ broadcaster and Eamonn Walsh, accounting professor, UCD Smurfit School.
