'Trinity News' nets student media award

TRINITY STUDENT paper Trinity News scooped the top three prizes at the national student media awards last night.

There were more than 1,000 entrants from 20 different colleges for the media awards, which included 30 categories for print and broadcasting.

Trinity News was awarded newspaper of the year and the newspaper's editor, Gearóid O'Rourke, won editor and journalist of the year.

An award for journalism relating to suicide was one of four new categories added this year

The judges of the awards, known as the "3 Smedias" after sponsor 3 Mobile, included representatives of national newspapers and broadcasters. Eoin McVey of The Irish Times judged newspaper of the year and John Walsh of the Irish Independent picked editor of the year. RTÉ reporter Samantha Libreri judged the TV production of the year award.

Colman Byrne, managing director of organiser of the awards Oxygen.ie, said: "I think it's fair to say that the gap is forever tightening between student and national media."

There were four awards given for print publications: Gearóid O'Rourke, newspaper of the year, Trinity, Trinity News; Ciara Brennan, society publication of the year, UCD Students Union Students Survival Guide; Cian Ginty, small college publication, Ballyfermot College, for the Ballyfermot Post; Sarah McCaffrey, magazine of the year, Queen's University Belfast, The SU Magazine.

Two awards were give to online publications: Stephen Fitzmaurice, website of the year, Trinity, www.icarusmag.com; Justin Dawson, web designer, NUI Maynooth, www.scoutingradio. com.

UCD students won the most awards for their print journalism. Winners included: Lorcan Archer, features writer (arts and pop culture), UCD, The College Tribune; Philip Connolly, features writer (news and current affairs), UCD, The College Tribune; Rob Lowney, features writer (education focus) UCD, The University Observer; Derek Larney, travel writer, Trinity, The University Record; Seán Mulvey, colour writer, UCD, The University Observer; Eoin Fleck, sports writer, Trinity News; Alan Good, journalist of the year (National Press), UCC; Andrea Gilligan, journalism relating to suicide, NUI Galway, Gearóid O'Rourke, journalist of the year, Trinity News; Gearóid O'Rourke, editor of the Year, Trinity, Trinity News.

Winners for their photography were Orla Sloyan, news photographer of the year, DIT; Dan McClanahan, photographer of the year, UCC; Diarmuid Greene, sports photographer of the year, Limerick Senior College.

Students from NUI Galway and DIT were strong winners of awards for radio and television broadcasting.

Madeline Woods, radio production (arts and features), DIT; Katie Corkery, radio production of the year (news and current affairs), DIT; Aonghus Ó hEochaidh, TV Production of the year, NUI Galway; Aonghus Ó hEochaidh, léiriúcháin teilifíse i ngaeilge, faisnéis, NUI Galway; Tom Byrne, TV journalist of the year, Griffith.

Student efforts in film were recognised in two categories and winners were: Conor O'Kelly; film script, Trinity, Fishy Tale, and Liam Berrington, short film of the year, Ballyfermot College, Prediction.