Pól Ó Conghaile was presented with the Travel Extra Journalist of the Year Award at a ceremony held last night in Dublin to coincide with the annual Holiday World Show.
Eleven other winners, each for different holidaying categories, were announced at a dinner in Thomas Prior House, Ballsbridge which was attended by the cream of Irish travel and tourism writers and broadcasters. The event was sponsored by the Spanish Tourist Board, Salou and PortAventura.
The award winners were chosen by a distinguished panel of senior Irish journalists. This year saw a huge increase in the number of submissions from previous years, displaying the creativity and continuing innovation of travel and tourism journalism in Ireland.
The category winners were:
- Newcomer/Young Journalist Award: Deirdre Conroy of the Sunday Independent
- Travel Book Award: Mark Graham for Festivals of Ireland
- Skiing Award: Isabel Conway of Metro Herald
- Northern Ireland Award: Ros Drinkwater of Sunday Business Post
- Home Market Award: Madeleine Keane of the Sunday Independent
- Broadcasting Award: Mary Fanning of Nationwide
- Digital Award: Pól Ó Conghaile of independent.ie
- Short Break Award: Conor Power of the Sunday Independent
- Sun Holiday Award: Ros Drinkwater of Sunday Business Post
- Spain Award: Niamh Mac Sweeney of Business & Finance
- Long Haul Award: Deirdre Mullins for rte.ie
Overall winner of the Travel Extra Travel Journalist of the Year Award, Pól Ó Conghaile, was awarded the prize for his exceptional body of work, including articles written for Irish Independent and independent.ie.