TWO Limerick Post reporters received a worthy three nominations in Ireland’s longest running media awards, dedicated to outstanding journalism in the area of justice and the legal system.
Reporters Bernie English and Sarah Coleman received three nominations across two of 16 categories at this year’s Justice Media Awards, organised each year by the Law Society of Ireland (LSI).
The Justice Media Awards are the longest running media awards in Ireland.
According to the LSI, this year’s awards received a “record-breaking 674 entries across 16 award categories. In total, 158 entries were shortlisted”.
- External Walls: Up to €8,000 Grant
- Attic: Up to €1,500 Grant
- Cavity Walls: Up to €1,700 Grant
- Internal Dry Lining: Up to €4,500 Grant
The Society said that the awards “recognise outstanding print, broadcast, and online journalism that contributes to the public’s understanding of justice, the legal system, and access to justice issues”.
The awards aim to promote the highest standards of legal journalism in Ireland, and highlight reporters who foster greater public understanding of the law and the legal system and inform the public on the role in society of the law, the courts, law enforcement, and legal agencies, as well as shining a light on significant matters in legislation.
Bernie English was nominated in the Print/Online Journalism (Features) category for her in-depth reporting on Irish defamation law, published in this newspaper in three articles, entitled ‘New laws on what happens when your name ends up in the paper for the wrong reasons’, which detailed the constraints on and freedoms of the media in reporting; ‘Stop thief: The words no shopkeeper can say’, outlining difficult legal issues faced by local businesses in trying to tackle shoplifting; and ‘I just want to set the record straight’, on how members of the public can exercise their rights in cases of complaints against the media.
The same three stories were also nominated in the Print/Online Journalism (Local) category.
Sarah Coleman was nominated in the Print/Online Journalism (Local) category for her article, ‘What is restoriative justice and how does it work within the Irish courts’, published in the January 17 edition of this newspaper.
The article highlighted the often under-utilised mechanism of restorative justice, which can give victims of crime a means to have their voice heard, seek answers, and explain how they have been affected by the crime perpetrated against them, while allowing those accused or convicted of a crime to understand the impact of the harm they have caused.
The piece also highlighted the uptake in restorative justice locally, how cases can be referred, and the work of local organisation Le Cheile, who help facilitate restorative justice in Limerick.
Other nominees at this year’s awards include The Irish Times, Irish Independent, Business Post, Irish Examiner, The Journal, Newstalk, Sunday Independent, The Sunday Times, RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ Prime Time, and The Sunday World.
Welcoming the nominations, Limerick Post publisher and owner Will Ryan said: “We’re absolutely delighted to see the Limerick Post shortlisted for three Justice Media Awards. It’s a great recognition of the care, skill, and public-interest focus that Bernie and Sarah bring to their work.”
“Local journalism has an important role in helping people understand systems that can feel distant or intimidating. Work like this takes time and proper support, and schemes such as the Court Reporting Scheme help make it possible. We’re very proud of Bernie, Sarah, and the wider editorial team.”
Limerick Post news editor Adam Leahy added: “These nominations are a clear testament to the hard work done by Bernie and Sarah week in, week out, shining a light not only on the often difficult cases that come before our local courts, but the important matters that shape and influence them too.”
This year’s Justice Media Awards will take place on June 11 at the Law Society of Ireland in Dublin.