IRISH TIMES photographers won seven awards at the Eircell PPAI Press Photographers Awards last night, including all three prizes in the Arts category.
Joke St Leger won first prize in the Arts section and Matt Kavanagh came first in the Picture Essay section.
The 1995 Photographer of the Year is Bryan O'Brien of the Irish Independent, who also won first prize in the Features and People categories. The prizes were presented by the President, Mrs Robinson, at a function in the O'Reilly Hall at UCD.
RESULTS
NEWS: 1, Crispin Rodwell, Sunday Times/Reuters 2, Tom Burke, Irish Independent 3, Alan Betson, The Irish Times.
SPORT: 1, David Conachy, Evening Herald 2, Eric Luke, The Irish Times 3, Jim Walpole, the Star.
FEATURES: 1, Bryan O'Brien, Irish Independent 2, Eric Luke, The Irish Times 3, Crispin Rodwell, Sunday Times/Reuters.
PEOPLE: 1, Bryan O'Brien, Irish Independent 2, Kenneth O'Halloran, Irish Independent 3, Tommy Eibrand, freelance, Co Mayo.
INDIVIDUAL STUDY: 1, David Maher, Sportsfile 2, Jim Walpole, the Stay 3, Brendan Murphy, Irish News.
ARTS: 1, Joe St Leger, The Irish Times 2, Frank Miller, The Irish Times 3, Pat Langan, The Irish Times.
PICTURE ESSAY: 1, Matt Kavanagh, The Irish Times 2, Dara Mac Donaill, Irish Independent 3, Kenneth O'Halloran, Irish Independent.
A special award for humorous picture went to David Kinsella, freelance, Norway.
There were almost 1,000 entries from some 90 photographers from all over Ireland. The judges were Eamonn McCabe, pictures editor, the Guardian, and Michael Goldwater, international freelance photographer, and the chairman of the panel was Trevor Scott, head of art and photography at Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design.
Mr Scott said "Once again the standard and quality of the photographs was breathtaking and greatly, impressed the international judges.
An exhibition of the most outstanding photographs submitted will go on tour, starting at the Dublin Tourism Centre tomorrow.