Killian Woods of the Business Post received the highest honour at the Justice Media Awards held in Dublin on Thursday. The annual awards are conducted by the Law Society of Ireland to acknowledge exceptional contributions to journalism, especially those that help in deepening the public’s understanding of the justice system, legal accessibility issues and the law. The competition was intense this year with over 400 entries submitted.
Mr Woods garnered the highest award for his detailed nine-part series, titled “Planning and the Courts – The fallout from the State’s bid to tackle judicial reviews of development projects”. The series earned immense appreciation for raising awareness about the intricacies of access to justice, especially for common people seeking resolution of their conflicts.
Simultaneously, Mary Carolan, the legal affairs correspondent for the newspaper, won the award for “court reporting – print/online” category for her extraordinary recounting of a day trip to the Aran Islands with District Court judge Mary Fahy.
The Ashling Murphy murder trial, public interest investigative journalism, law reform issues and court delays were some of the crucial subjects addressed across the 15 award categories.
Barry MacCarthy, President of the Law Society proudly stated, “For more than three decades, we have recognised and celebrated the cream of the crop in legal journalism through the Justice Media Awards. The Awards stand as a testament to our unflinching commitment to showcasing journalism that stimulates public understanding of the law, our rights, legal literacy and the legal system.”
Further speaking about Mr Woods, the main awardee of the evening, he commented on how Mr Woods’ investigative reporting into the planning system and property developments showed perseverance with a long-term story in the backdrop of the country’s housing crisis. He concluded by acclaiming the work as timely, insightful and an excellent example of legal reporting that held the State bodies accountable.
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