Kate Harty and SMEDIA Director, Ciara Mahon.
ENNIS’ KATE HARTY scooped the news photographer gong at the National Student Media Awards.
A past pupil of Coláiste Mhuire, Kate is now studying photography at LCFE where her photography saw her collect another accolade. Last year, she won the Gerry Ryan Memorial Competition organised by the Ennis Camera Club but she has now picked up another piece of silverware for the mantlepiece.
Through her climate change advocacy work and past involvement with Fridays for Future Clare, Kate has frequently appeared in The Clare Echo giving her thoughts on the environment and the need for the present day to be treated as a climate emergency.
In what was the first Student Media Awards held in-person since 2019, third level students from all over the country headed to the Aviva Stadium for the 22nd SMEDIAS ceremony. The awards showcase the work of students in journalism, radio, TV production, broadcasting and writing, they are judged by prominent figures in the media industry.
Michael O’Neill was the judge for the news photographer of the year category and he lauded the eye shown by Kate. “The photographer got the meaning as to what is a “news picture” as opposed to an image from a news event,” he stated.
A member of the Ennis Camera Club for the past five years, Kate singled out her colleagues here as providing the inspiration to improve her work. She had previously tasted success as a Junior Certificate student in The Clare Champion’s short story competition.
Fellow Ennis native Colm Flynn who is now the Vatican Correspondent for EWTN and started off his career with Clare FM, scooped a TV production of the year award at the SMEDIAS in 2010. Egyptian born Mostafa Darwish who lived in a Direct Provision centre in Knockalisheen in Meelick for many years previously won journalist of the year at the 2020 SMEDIAS.
RTÉ political reporter, Tommy Meskill who hails from Ennis won a SMEDIA in 2015 for best radio production of the year in news and current affairs alongside Nicole O’Connor.
