James Cahill

The top award at yesterday’s online ceremony was presented to Mark Horgan and Ciarán Cassidy for their Second Captains production for BBC Sounds, Where is George Gibney?.

This podcast series was selected from 200 entries, received from over 130 journalists, to win the overall award. In total, 39 awards and merits were presented across 12 categories, including four prizes in the new category Best Student Journalism.

Louise Kennedy of The College Tribune at University College Dublin made history as the first ever winner in the Best Student Journalism category for her article, Explaining the Law Surrounding Sexual Assault and Consent.

James Cahill, president of the Law Society, said: “It is critically important to continue to recognise, reward and support excellence in legal journalism.

“Journalism that promotes a greater public understanding of the law, the legal system and specific legal issues is of immense value and this year’s awards recognise great examples.”

He added: “Often at these awards, certain themes become apparent and outstanding cases are highlighted. This year, many of our entries focused on giving a voice to the victims of crime and letting them share their story in their own words. This theme is strongly reflected by our overall award winner this year.

“There was also a strong focus on making the law accessible for ordinary citizens who are impacted by the law every day. This is legal journalism at its finest.”