THE HARD work and dedication of two Limerick Post reporters was recognised with two wins at 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 last month received three nomination across two categories at this year’s Justice Media Awards, organised annually by the Law Society of Ireland (LSI).
Both Bernie English and Sarah Coleman were nominated in the Print/Online Journalism (Local) category, while Ms English was also nominated in the Print/Online Online Journalism (Features) category.
At the awards ceremony, held this Thursday (June 11) at the LSI in Dublin, both reporters received awards for their work.
Ms English took the top prize in the Print/Online Journalism (Local) category, and Ms Coleman was awarded a Certificate of Merit in the same category.
Ms English received both her nominations 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.
Judges said her entry “comprised thorough detail and a clear explanation of defamation laws. The injection of humour was attention grabbing – it was journalism worthy of national standard.”
Sarah Coleman was nominated for her article, ‘What is restorative justice and how does it work within the Irish courts’, published in the January 17 edition of this newspaper, highlighting 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.
Judge’s said her work highlighted “an evolving justice model, which gives victims a stronger voice in court proceedings. It was ear-marked for a win, as the journalist drew attention to a lesser known justice system.”
Reacting to the win, Limerick Post publisher and owner Will Ryan said: “We’re absolutely thrilled for Bernie and Sarah on this wonderful recognition at the Justice Media Awards. It’s a proud day for the Limerick Post and a real tribute to the care, skill, and focus they bring to their reporting.”
News editor Adam Leahy said that the national win is “a fantastic testament to the work of Bernie and Sarah, both in their reporting in the courts and in highlighting the factors that influence how the wider justice system impacts us all”.
And the Limerick Post reporters weren’t the only ones chalking up wins for the Treaty City, with Oscar-winning Limerick actress Ruth Negga top award on the day on behalf of the RTÉ Radio One team behind the First Conviction podcast series, which followed the investigation of a couple imprisoned for a crime against their child that never happened.
The series also took the top award in the Broadcast Journalism (Podcast) category.
Other nominees at this year’s awards included 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.