Category: News

We were delighted to facilitate a behind-the-scenes visit to The Irish Times for Transition Year students from Moville Community College and their English teacher Anne Browne.

The students were warmly welcomed by Irish Times Editor Ruadhán McCormaic, who generously shared his time, experience, and advice with this enthusiastic group of aspiring journalists. The visit began with a guided tour of the newsroom and podcast studios, giving students a real sense of how modern journalism operates across multiple platforms – from print and digital to audio and video.

One of the highlights of the day was sitting in on The Irish Times’ 2pm editorial conference, where editors discussed the day’s major news stories and planned online coverage as well as the following morning’s print edition. Students were fascinated to see how breaking news, audience interest, and editorial priorities come together in real-time decision-making.

The audience engagement team also spoke to students about how newsrooms reach readers in a crowded digital landscape. They explained how analytics help shape story placement, what types of content perform best online, and how The Irish Times is evolving to engage younger audiences through podcasts, video content, and shorter, more accessible formats, without compromising on quality journalism.

Major news stories discussed during the conference included Trump’s statements on Greenland, global discussions at Davos, proposed trade tariffs, Brooklyn Beckham’s recent family comments, and the upcoming Six Nations squad announcement – giving students insight into how international, national, political, and cultural stories are balanced each day.

Students asked thoughtful questions about careers in journalism, newsroom pathways, and how news organisations are adapting to changing reader habits.

The visit offered a valuable and motivating experience, helping students connect classroom learning with real-world journalism in action. Experiences like these play a vital role in inspiring the next generation of storytellers, reporters, editors, and media professionals, and we look forward to continuing to create opportunities for young people through the Young Journalist Ireland programme.

Young Journalist Ireland, the student journalism and news literacy programme from NewsBrands Ireland, has been awarded Best Media-Led Media Literacy Initiative at the 2025 Media Literacy Ireland (MLI) Awards, held yesterday at Virgin Media Ireland.

The award recognises initiatives that make a significant contribution to helping citizens develop critical media literacy skills, empowering them to engage thoughtfully and confidently with the media around them.

Judges’ Citation

“Young Journalist Ireland was described as a ‘bulls-eye’ media literacy project. The judges felt it was an excellent initiative, with clear evidence to suggest that it has been adopted successfully by many classrooms across the country.
The scale is substantial, with ten thousand participants in four hundred schools this year alone.
It clearly achieves its goal of empowering young people to create and innovate, and promotes learning and understanding by doing.
This initiative champions entries from all backgrounds and abilities, and promotes inclusion by providing special access for schools with added diversity and for schools in lower-income communities.
At the heart of the project is the production of media materials and empowerment of students through the development of media content creation skills.
The Lesson Plans are clearly thought out for a successful execution, allowing students to think creatively and be inspired, but also allowing for the appropriate discussion and review.
The adoption of CPD workshops, in-class newsrooms and expert speakers shows that the project goes above and beyond teaching the basics and has the potential to encourage some students to go on to study journalism.
The use of professional journalists in this project shows that it can connect the industry with the classroom and with real-world examples.
It has established a detailed evaluation framework at different stages of its execution, and the evidence shows that the feedback is used to refine the project as it evolves year on year.”

Celebrating Collaboration and Impact

This award is a wonderful recognition of the collective effort behind Young Journalist Ireland – from teachers and students to journalists and our member news publishers – all working together to champion the role of professional journalism in a healthy democracy.

The Media Literacy Ireland Awards highlight the vital work being done across Ireland to support citizens, especially young people and community groups, in developing the skills they need to understand, question, and create media responsibly and effectively.

For further details, go to: https://www.medialiteracyireland.ie/awards/

Dublin, 13 May 2025 – The winners of the Young Journalist Ireland awards, run by NewsBrands Ireland, were announced today at a ceremony in the Aviva Stadium, celebrating the outstanding work of secondary school students across the country. Hosted by journalist Matt Cooper, prizes were awarded across five categories: Features, Opinion, Sports Journalism, Photojournalism, and School Newspaper.

The Overall Student Journalist of the Year 2025 was awarded to Grace Callaghan (pictured) of Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, Youghal, Co. Cork for her courageous and deeply personal feature recounting her journey through scoliosis diagnosis, surgery, and recovery.

Speaking about her winning piece, Chair of the Judging Panel and Business Post Editor Daniel McConnell said:

“Grace Callaghan demonstrated an ability to write a truly evocative piece about wrestling with preconceptions around body image and seeing scars not as imperfections but as symbols of resilience in the face of adversity.”

Judges’ citation: This year’s winning feature is a courageous and deeply personal journey through scoliosis diagnosis, surgery, and recovery. This piece stands out for its ability to reframe a medical condition not as a limitation but as an opportunity for growth. Grace challenges societal ideals of perfection and instead offers a powerful message: that scars, far from being blemishes, are markers of survival, strength, and authenticity. Her story does not just inform—it uplifts and empowers.

Now in its 13th year and formerly known as Press Pass, the Young Journalist Ireland programme reaches over 10,000 Transition Year students annually. The initiative is designed to build media literacy skills, foster critical thinking, and inspire the next generation of journalists. Students learn to assess sources, identify misinformation, and create their own journalism, guided by professional journalists and editors.

The competition entries were judged by a panel of national journalists and editors, recognising both individual creativity and school-based collaboration.

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Young Journalist Ireland Awards 2025 – Winners

Overall Student Journalist of the Year
Grace Callaghan, Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, Youghal, Co. Cork

School Newspaper
1st Place: Christians Chronicle, Christian Brothers College, Cork
2nd Place: Woodbrook Word, Woodbrook College, Bray, Co. Wicklow
3rd Place: Pressing Matters, Presentation Secondary School, Listowel, Co. Kerry

Opinion
1st Place: Tara Walsh, Salerno Secondary School, Galway
2nd Place: Daisy Braithwaite, Friends’ School, Lisburn
3rd Place: Leah Vance, Our Lady’s Secondary School, Terenure

Sports Journalism
1st Place: Jessica Murphy, St Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, Co. Cork
2nd Place: Claire Harty, Salesian College, Limerick
3rd Place: Ava Ashman, Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, Youghal, Co. Cork

Features
1st Place: Grace Callaghan, Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, Youghal, Co. Cork
2nd Place: Vikoriia Sydorova, Elphin Community College, Co. Roscommon
3rd Place: Rachel Twomey, St Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, Co. Cork

Photojournalism

1st place: Anna Lohunova, St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim

2nd Place: Eimear Carey, St. Aloysius’ College, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork

3rd Place: Grace Callaghan, Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, Youghal, Co. Cork

After four weeks of reading and reviewing over 500 incredible entries from every corner of the country, our judging panel has made the tough decision and selected this year’s finalists!

We want to give a huge shoutout to all the students who submitted outstanding features, powerful opinion pieces, brilliant school newspapers, stunning photography, and inspiring sports journalism. The talent, creativity, and hard work that shone through every entry was truly impressive.

If you weren’t named a finalist this time, please don’t lose heart — so much of the work was genuinely impressive, and the competition was fierce. Don’t stop now —  stay curious and keep writing and reading! 
 

2025 Young Journalist Ireland Finalists

Anna Lohunova, St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim – Photojournalism
Ava Ashman, Pobailscoil Na Trionóide, Youghal, Co. Cork – Sports Journalism
Christians Chronicle, Christian Brothers, Cork – School Newspaper
Claire Harty, Salesian College, Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick – Sports Journalism
Daisy Braithwaite, Friends School, Lisburn, Co. Antrim – Opinion Journalism
Eimear Carey, St. Aloysius’ College, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork – Photojournalism
Grace Callaghan,  Pobalscoil na Trionóide, Youghal, Co. Cork – Photojournalism
Grace Callaghan, Pobalscoil na Trionóide, Youghal, Co. Cork – Features
Jessica Muphy, St. Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, Co. Cork – Sports Journalism
Leah Vance, Our Lady’s School, Terenure, Dublin – Opinion Journalism
Pressing Matters, Presentation Secondary School, Listowel, Co. Kerry – School Newspaper
Rachel Twomey, St. Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, Co. Cork – Features
Tara Walsh, Salerno Secondary School, Galway – Opinion Journalism
Vikoriia Sydorova, Elphin Community College, Co. Roscommon – Features
Woodbrook Word, Woodbrook College, Bray, Co. Wicklow – School Newspaper

Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places will be announced at the Young Journalist Ireland Awards event on May 13th in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. Teachers will be contacted this week by Newsbrands Ireland with further details on the event.

A class of Transition Year students from Coláiste Cholmcille in Ballyshannon had the opportunity this week to meet Sunday Times editor and Buncrana native Kieran McDaid for a journalism workshop.

The workshop, organised by NewsBrands Ireland as part of their Young Journalist Ireland school programme, gave students the unique opportunity to discover what happens behind the scenes in a newsroom. Kieran spoke about how he got into journalism and how the industry is innovating to reach younger audiences through a variety of platforms. Topics covered included: how journalism is attracting younger readers in an era of TikTok; the rise in citizen journalists; ethics and regulation of the press, and tips for students who wish to pursue a career in journalism.

Students from the class were also lucky enough to get advice on unique news angles for their entries and tips on what makes for a good story.

Ballyshannon has a proud history of producing journalists such as Irish Times US correspondent Keith Duggan,  Irish Daily Mail sports journalist Mark Gallagher, Fiona Dillon (former assistant news editor for the Irish Independent), Katie Gallagher, Showbix reporter with the Irish Daily Star, and Shane Dillon (deputy editor of The Impartial Reporter). Michael Daly, retired editor of the Donegal Democrat, is also from Ballyshannon.

Speaking about the workshop, English teacher Tara Dillon said:  

“Kieran delivered an engaging and insightful talk about the world of journalism. With a perfect mix of humour and expertise, he emphasised the importance of storytelling, accuracy and staying curious when writing.”

One of the students added that: “Kieran McDaid was very interesting. He used real-world examples and personal stories to bring his job to life. He explained how media has evolved and will continue to do so. He answered all our questions and gave us great advice for our competition entries. “

Sunday Times Ireland Editor Kieran McDaid has been a reporter for more than 20 years and has worked at a number of publications both regional and national. He began his journalism career in 2001 as a reporter with The Irish News in Belfast before moving to the Press Association news agency. He also had stints as Deputy News Editor at the Irish Independent, Assistant Editor (Head of Content) at the Irish News of the World, and Editor of The Irish Sun.

Pictured are TY students Dylan McCartney, Ava Moore Sutcliffe, Jack Williams and Ellen Golden from the Institute of Education, Leeson Street, who are all taking part in this year’s programme.

Almost 10,000 Transition Year students from over 200 schools nationwide have signed up for the 2025 Young Journalist Ireland programme from NewsBrands Ireland.

Previously known as ‘Press Pass’, the Young Journalist Ireland news literacy programme has been running in schools since 2012. It aims to encourage the next generation of journalists, and to foster news literacy skills in young people. The programme teaches students to understand the principles and ethics of fact-based journalism, to think critically like a journalist by questioning information sources, and to develop skills in identifying misinformation and disinformation

As well as developing critical thinking skills, the programme encourages students to create their own journalism with advice and resources from journalists on how to create a school newspaper, write an impactful opinion piece, match report, or feature article on a local issue. A highlight of the programme is the annual competition to find the Young Journalist of the Year. Categories include School Newspaper, Features Journalism, Opinion Journalism, Sports Journalism, and Photojournalism. Entries are judged by a panel of national news journalists and editors.

CEO of NewsBrands Ireland Ann Marie Lenihan said: “There is increasing demand from schools for our Young Journalist Ireland programme, and we have collaborated closely with teachers and media literacy experts to create new resources and a dedicated website. To combat disinformation and misinformation, it’s crucial for young people to learn how to distinguish credible news sources from unreliable ones, and understanding the standards and protocols followed by professional journalists is essential in this process.”

“Encouraging young people to pursue journalism is more important than ever, as it provides them with the skills to tell their own stories and the confidence to engage in discussions about politics, social change, and more. Young people often feel their voices are overlooked on these issues, so offering them the chance to express their opinions through journalism is essential for fostering active citizenship in their communities.”

Registration is now open for Young Journalist Ireland 2025. Registered schools receive:

Complete lesson plans designed by teachers for teachers

Curriculum aligned resources to teach the four main language types – information, argument, narration, and persuasion – through journalism

Free subscriptions to Irish news websites and award-winning journalism

School talks from journalists and editors

Journalism and News Literacy CPD workshops for teachers in partnership with Oide, the support service for teachers and school leaders

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17 April 2024. The winners of the NewsBrands Ireland Press Pass student journalism competition were announced today at an awards ceremony in the Aviva Stadium with prizes awarded in six categories including News Writing, Features, Opinion, Sports Journalism, Photojournalism, and best School Newspaper.

The event, which was hosted by Matt Cooper, was attended by the award winning school students, their teachers and families, along with leading national news editors and journalists. A panel discussed journalism as a rewarding career path featuring Aaron Rogan, Deputy Editor Business Post, Jennifer O’ Connell, The Irish Times Opinion Editor, and Linda Maher, Deputy Features Editor with DMG Media.

Grace O’ Leary, a TY Student from St. Aloysius College in Carrigtwohill, Cork was presented with the overall prize for her Opinion piece on climate change.

According to Michael Foley, Chairman of the Press Pass Judging Panel:

“The winner clearly understood that journalism should be both accessible and assessable. It was well written and was sourced. But it was also smart. Climate change can be overwhelming. Does the little we can do actually make a difference? Yes, according to the winning piece and in so giving us the good news about climate change she encourages us all to do more, a sort of reverse psychology.”

The other category winners are outlined below and can be read here

Press Pass is a Transition Year student journalism and news literacy programme which has been run by NewsBrands Ireland since 2012. The free programme, which has been completed by 120,000 students, seeks to teach the fundamentals of journalism writing, improve news literacy and critical thinking skills, and encourage students to analyse content and form opinions about important social issues.

Participating schools receive access to free digital news, a Teacher’s Lesson Plan, and a specially created student workbook. NewsBrands has a partnership with the Department of Education’s Oide Teachers Support  to provide webinars and podcasts for teachers which included advice and inspiration from renowned journalist and editors.

During the Press Pass module, students are encouraged to engage with newspapers and digital news in the classroom, to analyse the journalism and then to create their own original journalism, the best of which is entered into a national competition.  The judging panel comprises of a group of leading newspaper journalists, which is chaired by Michael Foley, Professor Emeritus of Journalism, TU Dublin. The Press Photographers Association of Ireland (PPAI) judged the photojournalism category.

Ann Marie Lenihan, CEO of NewsBrands Ireland, said:  

“Congratulations to all our finalists and to the members of the judging panel who took the time to read through the many entries and pick the talented winners. A special thank you also to the passionate teachers who teach the Press Pass programme every year.

Press Pass 2024 Winners

Press Pass Student Journalist of the Year

Grace O’ Leary, St Aloysuis College, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork

News

1^st: Art Thornbury, Villiers School, Limerick

2^nd: Cian Ó Gallchobhair, Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne, An Daingean

3^rd Keirsha O’ Hare, St. Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, Co. Cork

School Newspaper

1^st  – The Ursu-Times, Ursuline Secondary School, Cork

2^nd – TY Times 2024, Moville Community College, Co. Donegal

3^rd – St. Mary’s Chronicle, St. Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, Co. Cork

Opinion

1^st  – Grace O’ Leary, St Aloysuis College, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork

2^nd  – Lucy Crean, Coláiste Muire, Ennis, Co. Clare

3^rd – Jasmine McWeeney, Mount Sackville, Chapelizod, Dublin

Features

1^st: Dylan O’ Driscoll, Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, Youghal, Co. Cork

2^nd: Ella Healy, St. Mary’s Secondary School, Macroom, Co. Cork

3^rd: Clodagh Creedon, The Institute of Education, Dublin

Photojournalism

1^st: Molly Cahill, Coláiste Muire, Ennis, Co, Clare

2^nd: John Sheridan, Ennistymon Community School, Co. Clare

3^rd: Maria Weroniecka, St. Aloysuis College, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork

Sports Journalism

1^st: Philip Walker, Moville Community College, Co. Donegal

2^nd : Ava McSweeney, St Mary’s Secondary School Macroom3^rd: Aine de Courcey, Moville Community College, Co. Donegal

Continue reading “Cork student named Student Journalist of the Year for Opinion piece on climate”