James Crombie named as Press Photographer of Year for second year in a row

Bryan O’Brien of Irish Times wins multimedia award

The Covid -19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the rural Irish pub. We visit four family owned bars in and around Boyle, Co Roscommon that are struggling to survive.Video: Bryan O’Brien

James Crombie has been named as the Press Photographer of the Year for the second year in a row. The Inpho agency photographer took the main prize at the annual awards of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland during a live Zoom awards ceremony on Friday night.

Crombie’s portfolio was cited by the judges as “the outstanding portfolio of the awards”. He received three category awards , including first prize in nature and the environment for “Murmuration”, what the judges coined as “picture of the year”. The photo, which featured on the front page of The Irish Times, beautifully captured a starling murmuration creating the shape of a bird over Lough Ennell.

Irish Times videographer and photographer Bryan O'Brien was again the winner of the multimedia category. His winning entry captured the devastating effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the rural Irish pub. The work centres on four family-owned bars in and around Boyle, Co Roscommon, all struggling to survive.

WINNERS

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PRESS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
James Crombie (Inpho)

Multimedia 1st – The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the rural Irish pub. .Video: Bryan O’Brien

MULTIMEDIA AWARD – Bryan O'Brien (The Irish Times)

News 1st – A knife is drawn during an altercation outside a protected women’s housing scheme. Photograph: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision

NEWS – 1, Michael Mac Sweeney (Provision); 2, Steve Humphreys (Independent News & Media); 3, Ray McManus (Sportsfile)

Daily life and people 1st – A child stares at a drone at a Drive in cinema screening at Leopardstown, Dublin. Photograph: Marc O’Sullivan

DAILY LIFE AND PEOPLE – 1, Marc O'Sullivan (Marc O'Sullivan Photography); 2, Mark Condren (Independent News & Media); 3, James Crombie (Inpho)

Sports Action 1st – Ireland’s Shane Duffy gets up close and personal with Portugal’s Ronaldo at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photograph: Eoin Noonan

SPORTS ACTION – 1, Eoin Noonan (Sportsfile); 2, Clodagh Kilcoyne (Reuters); 3, Morgan Treacy (Inpho)

Sports Feature 1st – Keith Ward of Bohemians celebrates his side’s first goal, scored by Rory Feely, during the FAI Cup Final match. Photograph: Eoin Noonan/Sportsfile

SPORTS FEAT URE – 1, Eoin Noonan (Sportsfile); 2, Morgan Treacy (Inpho); 3, James Crombie (Inpho)

Portrait 1st – Caoimhe’s 14th birthday at her home in Corofin, Co Clare. Photograph: Kenneth O’Halloran

PORTRAIT– 1, Kenneth O'Halloran (Freelance) 2, Mark Condren (Independent News & Media); 3, Niall Carson (PA Media)

Nature and the environment 1st – A Starling murmuration over Lough Ennell, Co Westmeath. Photograoh: Inpho/James Crombie

NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT – 1, James Crombie (Inpho); 2, Gary Ashe (Freelance); 3, Clodagh Kilcoyne (Reuters)

Politics 1st – Taoiseach Micheál Martin queuing for his Covid 19 vaccination booster jab at Cork City Hall Vaccination Centre. Photograph: Daragh McSweeney / Provision

POLITICS – 1, Daragh Mc Sweeney (Provision); 2, Niall Carson (PA Media); 3, Brian Lawless (PA Media)

Arts and Entertainment 1st – No such thing as a free Lunch. Walison the Clown empties popcorn over and unsuspecting member of the audience during Tom Duffy’s Circus. Photograph: Niall Carson (PA Media)

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT– 1, Niall Carson (PA Media); 2, Philip Doyle (Irish Farmers Journal); 3, Mark Stedman (Mark Stedman Photography)

REPORTAGE – 1, Gerry Mooney (Independent News & Media); 2, Clodagh Kilcoyne (Reuters); 3, Valerie O'Sullivan (Freelance)