Herald sales manager wins top prize at Local Ireland Media Awards
Claire Morgan, Sales Manager Roscommon Herald, won the top prize at the Local Ireland Media Awards for the Best Advertising Campaign. Pic: Gerard O'Loughlin
The Local Ireland Media Awards were announced at a gala dinner hosted by RTÉ presenter Marty Whelan last week with the Roscommon Herald's sales manager picking up the overall award for the Best Advertising Campaign and the Herald sports editor Ian Cooney being shortlisted for the Sports Journalist of the Year.
It was the tenth annual awards and the eighth to be sponsored by the National Lottery. (Click on the link below to see the highlights of the night)
Also supported by Coimisiún na Meán, 21 trophies were presented, including a special Lifetime Achievement Award for David Burke of the Tuam Herald.
The overall award for the Best Advertising Campaign was won by the Roscommon Herald’s sales manager Claire Morgan for an advertising campaign involving OxyGeneration.
OxyGeneration is a private state of the art non-emergency HBOT clinic in Galway. Hyperbaric Oxygenation Therapy (HBOT) is breathing oxygen (nearly 100%) in a pressurised chamber. This increased pressure allows more oxygen to dissolve in the blood plasma, enhancing oxygen delivery to tissues.
The judges praised the advertising campaign for its educational element alerting readers to the therapy involved.
President of Local Ireland Seán Mahon said the night was a real celebration of everything that's great about local newspapers in Ireland.
“It was superb to see awards being won not just for news, political and sports reporting but also for special features, investigative journalism, digital innovation and creative advertising solutions. Well done to everyone who was nominated and to all our winners. We're privileged to have very talented, committed and passionate people who work for our local newspaper businesses.”
CEO of the National Lottery Cian Murphy said: “We are proud to continue our partnership with the Local Ireland Media Awards, which shine a spotlight on the outstanding work of local journalists and regional newspapers.” Coimisiún na Meán was supporting the awards for the first time this year.
Media Development Commissioner Rónán O’Domhnaill said: “Coimisiún na Meán is delighted to help support the Local Ireland Awards through our Sponsorship Scheme. It was heartwarming and encouraging to see such vibrancy and enthusiasm amongst the members of Local Ireland at the awards. A thriving local media landscape is vital to a functioning democracy and in Ireland it is clear that the local newspaper industry is central to that.”
Some of Ireland’s leading media professionals make up the awards’ judging panel. Chair, author, journalist and broadcaster Alison O’Connor told the audience: “Local journalism matters enormously. It happens in the courtroom, the council chamber, the parish hall. It captures the highs and lows of community life—the joy of a local sporting triumph, the heartbreak of job losses, the significance of a planning decision that will shape a town’s future.”
Click on the link below to see the highlights of the night.
