Shane earns plaudits at Local Ireland Media Awards event
While the Westmeath Examiner didn’t win when the Local Ireland Media Awards were announced at a gala event in the Mullingar Park Hotel last Thursday, there was a lovely recognition of the efforts of our young intern, Shane King.
Shane had been nominated in the Digital category for a video he crafted about the Bloom festival and featuring Tom Leavy from Killucan, who had won a Silver Gilt award for his ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Musical Garden’.
As the youngest nominee in the awards, Shane was called to the stage, where guest MC Marty Whelan interviewed him about his video.
“Was this all your idea?” Marty asked, and Shane confirmed that was the case. “Is this your future, you have the Leaving Cert, I know, but is this your future?”
His response that it was generated a huge round of applause, as the audience, all working in local newspapers across the country, clearly recognised his ability and his enthusiasm for their trade.
Asked if his parents were involved in journalism, Shane said not “but they’re my taxi”, which generated laughs, and he thanked and paid tribute to them for their support.
Marty concluded by wishing Shane “a long career”.
Nineteen awards were made on the evening, including a Lifetime Achievement award for Kieran Walsh of the Munster Express, whose family have been associated with the Waterford-based newspaper for more than 130 years.
President of Local Ireland and head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan said: “This was our ninth awards and the seventh sponsored by the National Lottery. It was a great event and I want to thank the judges for all their work and the National Lottery for their support, which has been invaluable.
“We had nearly 600 entries and the standard of journalism was first class.”
CEO of the National Lottery Cian Murphy said they are delighted to once again sponsor the Local Ireland Media Awards; and the chair of the judges, author, journalist and broadcaster Alison O’Connor said: “Where would local communities be without the efforts made in newsrooms all over the country?
“It is not an easy task to pick winners when there is so much good work to choose from. These awards are about recognising the very best of what local newspapers do.”