Local Ireland, the association which represents local news publishers across Ireland – including the Connacht Tribune – has launched its tenth annual awards.

Entries are being invited for a record 19 competitive categories, including new awards for Young Journalist of the Year and Political Coverage of the Year.

This year’s awards will be the eighth to be sponsored by the National Lottery, which has its own award for Best Community Journalist.

President of Local Ireland and Managing Director of the Southern Star Seán Mahon said they were delighted to add two new categories to the awards this year.

“The Young Journalist of the Year Award will recognise the strength in depth of talent within local news publishers and the Political Coverage of the Year award underlines the great work that we do in covering local politics,” he said.

“I want to thank the National Lottery for their continuing support as our headline sponsor, which has helped us grow and evolve these awards that recognize the important work that our journalists do week in and week out.”

National Lottery Head of Corporate Affairs Jennifer Crowe said that local media played a vital role in informing, inspiring and empowering people through powerful storytelling that reflects the heart of our society.

“At the National Lottery, we deeply align with these values, and champion them through the funding raised for thousands of Good Causes across Ireland,” she said.

“We are immensely proud of our ongoing partnership with the Local Ireland Media Awards, which honour outstanding journalists and media professionals who bring to light the stories that might otherwise go unheard, stories of remarkable individuals, events, and initiatives that shape our communities. We look forward to celebrating the exceptional work of local media once again,” she added.

This year’s awards will be held at the Mullingar Park Hotel on September 11 with RTÉ Lyric FM presenter Marty Whelan as host.

Chair of the Judging Panel, author, journalist and broadcaster Alison O’Connor said that the Local Ireland Media Awards were all about recognising the excellence of the work done by reporters in regional newspapers all over the country.

“Each year the entries reflect the very high standard of that work done by those journalists. It is an honour to chair the judging panel and this year that stellar line up will be joined by two new judges – RTÉ Upfront presenter Katie Hannon and DCU lecturer Conor Tiernan,” she added.

The judging panel also includes broadcaster and journalist Dearbhail McDonald, Emeritus Professor at TUD Michael Foley, Dawn Wheatley of DCU School of Communications, MD of Kinetic Ireland Andrew Sinclair, former Irish Times Picture Editor Frank Miller, broadcaster and writer Valerie Cox, journalist and author PJ Cunningham, novelist and columnist Martina Devlin, Policy Editor of the Business Post Daniel Murray, and Deputy Night Editor of the Irish Sun Gerry McCarthy.

Entries will close on Friday, June 27, and the shortlist of nominations will be announced at the beginning of August.

Pictured: Awards launch…Chair of the Judging Panel Alison O’Connor (centre) with National Lottery Head of Corporate Affairs Jennifer Crowe and Bob Hughes, Executive Director of Local Ireland.