Alan Betson of The Irish Times has been named PPAI Press Photographer of the Year. Betson won the overall prize on the strength of a portfolio of work taken over the last year and was presented with his award by President Michael D Higgins at a ceremony in Dublin.
This is the third time Betson has won the main prize at the Press Photographers’ Association of Ireland Awards. His picture story on the Liffey Swim also won first prize in the Reportage category.
The awards, now in their 37th year and which are open to members of the Press Photographers’ Association of Ireland, celebrate the very best of Irish press photography. This year, some 2,244 images were entered by 116 photographers from around the country. Awards were presented across nine categories; news, daily life and people, nature and the environment, politics, sports action, sports feature, portrait, art and entertainment; and reportage.
Other Irish Times winners included Eric Luke, who won first prize in Daily Life; Dara Mac Donaill, who won first prize in Arts & Entertainment; and Brenda Fitzsimons, who won first prize in Politics. Fitzsimons also won second prize in Arts & Entertainment.
Irish Times photographer Bryan O’Brien won a third prize in Daily Life & People and the late Irish Times photographer and picture editor David Sleator won a third prize in News for his picture of Martin Callinan departing Leinster House after attending a sitting of the Public Accounts Committee.
Category winners: full list
NEWS 1. Crispin Rodwell – Freelance 2. Julien Behal – Maxwell 3. David Sleator – Irish Times
DAILY LIFE & PEOPLE 1. Eric Luke - Irish Times 2. Margaret McLaughlin – Freelance 3. Bryan O'Brien – Irish Times
SPORTS ACTION 1. Ramsey Cardy – Sportsfile 2. Ray McManus – Sportsfile 3. Dónall Farmer – Inpho
SPORTS FEATURE 1. Matt Browne – Sportsfile 2. Ramsey Cardy – Sportsfile 3. John Kelly – Clare Champion
PORTRAIT 1. John Kelly – Clare Champion 2. Dónall Farmer – Inpho 3. John Kelly – Clare Champion
NATURE & ENVIRONMENT 1. Domnick Walsh – Eye Focus 2. Clodagh Kilcoyne – Freelance 3. Margaret McLaughlin – Freelance
POLITICS 1. Brenda Fitzsimons – Irish Times 2. Niall Carson – PA Ireland 3. Tom Honan – Irish Mail on Sunday
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 1. Dara MacDónaill – Irish Times 2. Brenda Fitzsimons – Irish Times 3. Julien Behal – Maxwell
REPORTAGE 1. Alan Betson – Irish Times 2. Stephen McCarthy – Sportsfile 3. Paul Nicholls – Freelance
