Ireland

Cyril Byrne of The Irish Times named Photographer of the Year

Byrne won overall award based on excellence of portfolio and also won several categories

People keep their cars under protective covering for many reasons. We meet four owners of four very different vehicles, all of which are 'under cover'. Video: Bryan O’Brien
Fri Feb 16 2018 - 21:30

Cyril Byrne of The Irish Times has been named Photographer of the Year 2018 at the annual Press Photographers Association of Ireland awards.

He won the overall award based on the excellence of his portfolio, while also winning awards in several categories including those of Daily Life and People, Nature and Environment and Arts and Entertainment.

The awards ceremony took place at Croke Park, Dublin on Friday night.

3rd, Arts and Entertainment - U2 during their performance of the Joshua Tree at Croke Park. Photograph: Cyril Byrne / The Irish Times
3rd, Arts and Entertainment - U2 during their performance of the Joshua Tree at Croke Park. Photograph: Cyril Byrne / The Irish Times

Awards were presented across nine categories - news, daily life and people, nature and the environment, politics, sports action, sports feature, portrait, art and entertainment and reportage.

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2nd Portrait category - Yeyang Yang and daughter Syya photographed at their home Phonsavan, Laos. He was buring rubbish when the heat of the fire ignited a UXO in the ground and exploded. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons / The Irish Times
2nd Portrait category - Yeyang Yang and daughter Syya photographed at their home Phonsavan, Laos. He was buring rubbish when the heat of the fire ignited a UXO in the ground and exploded. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons / The Irish Times

There was also a dedicated award for multimedia which was won by Bryan O'Brien of The Irish Times.

The judging panel, chaired by Dermot O’Shea, included internationally renowned photographers Tom Stoddart and Eamonn McCabe.

Commenting on Cyril Byrne’s portfolio, which won him Press Photographer of the Year 2018, the judges said: “This portfolio comprehensively shows the ability and imagination of the photographer over a wide range of subjects and situations. The judges felt that the photographer displayed an incredible ability over the many disciplines and facets of press photography. The many subjects dealt with in this portfolio shows the commitment to quality and presentation. A collection of images to be very proud of.”

3rd Politics - Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald TD seen through a window on the eve of her resignation from office, in the national interest, following mounting pressure from colleagues and opposition members. Photograph: Cyril Byrne / The Irish Times
3rd Politics - Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald TD seen through a window on the eve of her resignation from office, in the national interest, following mounting pressure from colleagues and opposition members. Photograph: Cyril Byrne / The Irish Times
2nd Arts and Entertainment: Master florist Lamber de Bie inspecting a special floral installation at VASE, an international display of contemporary vessels at Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
2nd Arts and Entertainment: Master florist Lamber de Bie inspecting a special floral installation at VASE, an international display of contemporary vessels at Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
2nd Nature: A Seagull grabs its lunch from a bin in St. Stephen Green. Photograph: Cyril Byrne / The Irish Times
2nd Nature: A Seagull grabs its lunch from a bin in St. Stephen Green. Photograph: Cyril Byrne / The Irish Times

The multimedia award was judged by Michael Lee, RTÉ cameraman and Philip Bromwell, RTÉ News video and mobile journalist.

Other Irish Times winners included Brenda Fitzsimons who won second prize in the portrait category and Alan Betson who won second prize in the arts and entertainment category.

Justin Kernoghan of Photopress Belfast won first prize in the news category, while Ryan Byrne of Inpho won first prize in the sports action category.

This year marks 40 years since the founding of The Press Photographers Association of Ireland.

Its president Robbie Reynolds, said: "Our awards reward the very best of Irish press photography from our members right around the island of Ireland. Over the years, our members have seen vast changes in the field - from processing to the instant sending of digital imagery, some feats which would have seemed impossible when our association first began."

1st News - A tired and extremely gaunt looking Martin McGuinness leaving Stormont after handing in his resignation as deputy First Minister of NI. Photograph: Justin Kernoghan / Photopress Belfast
1st News - A tired and extremely gaunt looking Martin McGuinness leaving Stormont after handing in his resignation as deputy First Minister of NI. Photograph: Justin Kernoghan / Photopress Belfast

The gala awards ceremony also saw the awarding of three honorary memberships of The Press Photographers Association of Ireland, for outstanding contribution to the association and press photography in Ireland.

Multimedia Award : Some owners of cars keep them under cover many reasons. In this video a number of people reveal what’s underneath the large tarpaulin in their front driveway and detail their relationships they have with their vehicles. Still from video by Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
Multimedia Award : Some owners of cars keep them under cover many reasons. In this video a number of people reveal what’s underneath the large tarpaulin in their front driveway and detail their relationships they have with their vehicles. Still from video by Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times

These went to Henry Wills, western representative of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland and former photographer with The Western People, Pádraig Ó'Flannabhra, Tipperary-based photographer and Matt Kavanagh, former Irish Times photographer.

The Press Photographers Association of Ireland Press Photographer of the Year 2018 Exhibition, featuring 107 prints, will be on display in The Library at the RDS, Dublin 4, from Monday, February 19th for two weeks. It will then go on tour, visiting selected venues nationwide.

See www.ppai.ie for exhibition tour updates and to view the full collection of winning and highly commended images.

Full list of winners:

PHOTOGRAPHER OF YEAR 2018

Cyril Byrne, The Irish Times

NEWS

1 Justin Kernoghan

2 Mark Marlow

3 Laura Hutton, Collins Agency

DAILY LIFE AND PEOPLE

1 Steve Humphreys, Independent News and Media (INM)

2 John Kelly, Clare Champion

3 Cyril Byrne, The Irish Times

SPORTS ACTION

1 Ryan Byrne, Inpho Photography

2 Morgan Treacy, Inpho Photography

3 Dan Sheridan, Inpho Photography

SPORTS FEATURE

1 Morgan Treacy, Inpho Photography

2 Dan Sheridan, Inpho Photography

3 Eóin Noonan, Sportsfile

PORTRAIT

1 Gerry Mooney, INM

2 Brenda Fitzsimons, The Irish Times

3 Don MacMonagle, Don MacMonagle Photography

NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

1 Cathal Noonan

2 Cyril Byrne, The Irish Times

3 Cyril Byrne, The Irish Times

POLITICS

1 Gerry Mooney, INM

2 Mark Condren, INM

3 Cyril Byrne, The Irish Times

ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

1 Sasko Lazarov, Photocall Ireland

2 Alan Betson, The Irish Times

3 Cyril Byrne, The Irish Times

REPORTAGE

1 Stephen McCarthy, Sportsfile

2 John Kelly, Clare Champion

3 Tom Honan

MULTIMEDIA

Bryan O’Brien, The Irish Times