THE Southern Star’s sports editor was a winner at last night’s regional newspaper awards in Portlaoise.
THE Southern Star’s sports editor was a winner at last night’s regional newspaper awards in Portlaoise.
Local Ireland – the umbrella body for Irish regional newspapers – hosted the awards night at the Killeshin Hotel in Portlaoise.
Sports editor Kieran McCarthy picked up the Sports Story of the Year award for his coverage of the rise of Olympic silver medalists Gary and Paul O’Donovan.
The coverage of the Skibbereen rowers included several extensive articles on their background, training career and long-ranging interviews with the two brothers, their mentors, family, friends and rowing club colleagues, both in the paper and on the Southern Star's social media platforms. The paper also published a special edition supplement on the Olympic duo's homecoming in August 2016 and a video of the celebrations, produced by the Southern Star, was also posted online.
McCarthy, a Kerry native, said he was delighted with the award which was also a testament to the hard work of the two Skibbereen sportsmen who had brought much delight and honour to the people of West Cork during the 2016 Olympics.
This is the second major award for the sports section in as many years, as the Star was earlier awarded the title of Camogie Association Local Newspaper of the Year, for its coverage of the sport.