Limerick media students earn national recognition at journalism awards

UL student Róisín Leavy-Sahin with John Kelly, film-maker and director, representative from Screen Ireland, who were sponsors of the Short Film of the Year category at the Smedias

placeholder image — UL student Róisín Leavy-Sahin with John Kelly, film-maker and director, representative from Screen Ireland, who were sponsors of the Short Film of the Year category at the Smedias

Representatives of UL, TUS, and LCFE were recognised at the National Media Awards

LIMERICK students took home a total of four awards at the prestigious National Student Media Awards (Smedias) this year, celebrating the best in student journalism across Ireland.

Students at the University of Limerick scooped two awards, while the Technological University of Limerick and Limerick College of Further Education won an award each. The Smedias took place at the Mansion House in Dublin on Wednesday, April 9.

This year's Smedias honoured Aoife Sheehan with the Magazine of the Year award - a remarkable achievement for the Limerick woman who is studying sports journalist at the University of Limerick.

The magazine's 86 pages cover a wide range of topics such as UL's love for rock climbing, budget-friendly holidays for students, environmental issues and what students can do to make a change.

A former Limerick camogie star Aoife has worked as a sports analyst and co-commentator for RTÉ and is a rising star in sports media..

Róisín Leavy-Sahin, also from UL, won the Short Film of the Year award. From Camera angles, her storytelling focuses on coming-of-age and identity-driven narratives. Often inspired by the work of Céline Sciamma, Greta Gerwig, and Andrea Arnold, her cinematic and emotional imagery resonates with the viewers as the story unfolds.

Limerick College of Further Education student Richie Wells was crowned Sports Photographer of the Year for his striking image capturing a powerful moment of a man mid-fall in a wrestling match. He has been photographing wrestling for almost two years and has developed a talent for framing thought-provoking shots.

Photographer of the Year was awarded to Yeva Kravchenko, a student at Technological University of the Shannon (TUS). Originally from Ukraine, Yeva's winning image showcased the rugged cliff edge of Ireland’s landscape, captured with a cinematic eye.

Yeva draws inspiration from filmmakers like Todd Haynes and Ukrainian photographers such as Masha Raymer.

Award presenters included well-known figures such as Miriam O’Callaghan, Sharon Tobin and Miss Universe Ireland 2024 Sofia Labus.