The 43rd annual Press Photographer of the Year Awards were announced on Friday evening during a specially directed live stream awards ceremony presented by broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan.
The Press Photographer of the Year 2021 title was awarded to Tullamore-native James Crombie of the Inpho agency, whose portfolio the judges cited as “a marriage of superb features work, creative portrait work and solid sports photography”.
The Irish Times won five awards at the annual Press Photographers Association of Ireland event. Bryan O’Brien won two awards with first places in the Multimedia and Portrait categories. Damien Eagers was first in the Nature and Environment category, with Dara MacDonaill second. Tom Honan was third in the Daily Life category.
Winners
![1st Life and People: HAIRY TIMES Brothers Ben and Aaron cut each other’s hair during lockdown due to Covid-19. Photograph: Mark Condren, Independent News & Media](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/NFRY6ZDVX3ARTIDYCS7KRGJC2U.jpg?auth=c58ea76c3b5aec9760dad9940a8964e4025f12b8948b4037d22532198808900a&width=800&height=533)
DAILY LIFE & PEOPLE
1, Hairy times. Mark Condren, Independent News & Media
2, So near, yet so far. Michael Mac Sweeney, Provision
3, Peek-a-boo Santa. Tom Honan, for The Irish Times
SPORTS NON-ACTION
1, Cup up and away. Bryan Keane, Inpho Photography
2, He is risen. James Crombie, Inpho Photography
3, Rider on the storm…. Garry O'Neill, freelance
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
1, Savage beauty. Michael McLaughlin, freelance
2, High fliers. Gerry Mooney, Independent News & Media
3, Spiral dance. Leon Farrell, Photocall Ireland
![1st Politics: THE CAT THAT GOT THE CREAM Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald entering Leinster House after a successful general election campaign. Photograph: Gary Ashe](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/CH5NPKLPXLPJ3BKMJG4YA6SMTA.jpg?auth=e0560033940e86b3e51bc20218e0287bacf29a93a1482a797674bdf9891a9476&width=800&height=583)
POLITICS
1, The cat that got the cream. Gary Ashe, freelance
2, Can we still be friends? Brian Lawless, Press Association
3, The wind that shakes the brolly. Lorraine Teevan, freelance
![FOGGY SEMI-FINAL: All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final between Mayo and Tipperary. From the portfolio of Photographer of the year James Crombie](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/PDDNAWXHQTFJVYJAXECD22YG7A.jpg?auth=c300831efbc5a82ef99f7329aa861df2312bd8d02e13d80ed857b493f97e2009&width=800&height=482)
SPORTS ACTION
1, Foggy semi-final. James Crombie, Inpho
2, Full throttle. Piaras Ó Mídheach, Sportsfile
3, On to a quinner. Sam Barnes, Sportsfile
REPORTAGE
1, Weathering the boards. Clodagh Kilcoyne, Reuters
2, Lockdown man. Kenneth O'Halloran, freelance
3, Front line heroes. David Conachy, Independent News & Media
![1st, Nature and Environment: BRIGHT SPARK! A fallow deer with an electrical cable wrapped around its antlers in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Photograph: Damien Eagers/freelance, for The Irish Times](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/MEEMIVGF566X667EQBANLFYJDI.jpg?auth=54cee72e72a87262970f0857f1109c8b5567a5360a1a30cb268e7bbaad366350&width=800&height=1138)
NATURE & THE ENVIRONMENT
1, Bright spark! Damien Eagers, for The Irish Times
2, Eye of the storm. Dara Mac Dónaill, The Irish Times
3, Moonshine. Naoise Culhane, freelance
![1st Multimedia: Harp Handover. Video by Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/ALDNPDYXVPBEKYADAYYEFRT7WA.jpg?auth=a4002231deee074eaaaeb89a65082226bb0034ec2fdffe31626b9bb13a89f4e2&width=800&height=504)
MULTIMEDIA
1, Harp handover. Bryan O’Brien, The Irish Times
![1st Portrait: COCOONING ON MOTHER’S DAY: Ellen Creed, Dublin, with the flowers her daughter left outside her door for Mother’s Day. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/GS7OD3SI3LTC3DJKZJRDYDNACA.jpg?auth=f4d93620eac54c5963e093de4b60b55dc2866d47d2b9861e8d8ae67822aff190&width=800&height=528)
PORTRAIT
1, Cocooning on mother's day. Bryan O'Brien, The Irish Times
2, Ellen Keane. Seb Daly, Sportsfile
3, Untitled. Aidan Crawley, EPA-EFE
NEWS
1, First frontline fatality. Michael O'Neill, Freelance
2, In your face! Sam Boal, Rollingnews.ie
3, No comment. Paul Nicholls, Freelance