The Connacht Tribune Group led the way with ten nominations as the shortlists were announced for this year’s Local Ireland Media Awards at the weekend.

The winners will be announced at a gala event at the Mullingar Park Hotel on Thursday, September 19, hosted by RTÉ presenter and Eurovision guru Marty Whelan.

Journalist Stephen Corrigan received three nominations – for Best Diversity Journalist for Breaking Down the Barriers in the Connacht Tribune; Best Community Journalist for Older People at the Heart of Community in the Connacht Tribune, and Best News Series with Getting to the Bottom of State-sponsored Ecological Destruction in the Galway City Tribune. Cian O’Connell was shortlisted for Best Sustainability Journalist for his feature on Carrownagappul Bog in the Connacht Tribune.

Both the Connacht Tribune and Galway City Tribune were nominated for Best Use of Photography – for the Big Clean-Up and Bird’s Eye View respectively; the City Tribune was also nominated for Best Front Page for Streets of Shame, and Joe O’ Shaughnessy was nominated for Best Photograph with Dragon the Forgotten World.

The Connacht Tribune was nominated for Best Local Advertisement for its feature on Salthill Hotel Weddings and for Best Advertising Campaign for its series with the Hyde Bar.

“It is always gratifying to be acknowledged by your peers for your work – particularly when the standard across the country is so high. We were delighted to receive so many nominations and look forward to a great night with our colleagues,” said Connacht Tribune Group Editor Dave O’Connell.

These are the ninth Local Ireland Media Awards, showcasing excellence in journalism and the achievements of Ireland’s local news publishers and their staff – and sponsored for the seventh consecutive year by the National Lottery.

“We have had nearly 600 entries for the awards which underlines the quality and excellence of our local newspapers and their digital and online platforms,” said President of Local Ireland and Head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan.

“I want to thank the National Lottery for their sponsorship of the awards and their commitment to supporting local journalism, which is at the heart of communities across Ireland.”

National Lottery CEO Cian Murphy said that they were ‘incredibly proud of our continued association with the Local Ireland Media Awards that recognise the top-class journalists and media professionals who tirelessly serve our local communities’.

“We are also very excited to host the Best Community Journalist category, a category that aligns with our own core values of generosity in community spirit and recognises the impact of communities working together to make a real and tangible difference,” he added.

Pictured: Nominated….Joe O’ Shaughnessy’s photo, Dragon the Forgotten World.