Limerick journalist and artist named Pulitzer Prize winners

LIMERICK has won big with two of its people being named as winners of the prestigious Pulitzer Prize.

Broadford native and New York Times journalist, Malachy Browne won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting alongside several staff members of The New York Times, while Limerick-based folk singer Rhiannon Giddens has been awarded the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Emmy Award winner, Malachy Browne, works as part of a visual investigations team for The New York Times.

He is one of several journalists honoured for their “unflinching coverage” of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which includes an eight-month investigation into Ukrainian deaths in the town of Bucha and the Russian unit responsible for the killings.

When he heard the news, Malachy was with his parents, Mary and David, in New Jersey. The next day, he joined his colleagues for the announcement in The New York Times offices.

Speaking about the big news, Malachy, told the Limerick Leader: “I’m thrilled for the team. I was delighted that the work that we did in the Ukraine war is being recognised in this way because it’ll keep the attention on it. I’m particularly happy that so many colleagues across the desk were honoured with the prize.”

This isn’t the Broadford native’s first Pulitzer accolade.

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In May 2020, Malachy was one of the journalists who won the Pulitzer Prize in International Reporting for their coverage which exposed “the predations of Vladimir Putin’s regime.”

Speaking of the work that won this year’s prize, the journalist recalled: “Our particular story was an investigation that named the Russian unit responsible for killing dozens of civilians. When they occupied the town, the first month of the war, they were bodies all over the streets.

“From that first weekend, our reporters treated it like a war crimes investigation. And over eight months, we collected a lot of testimony and evidence and were able to identify soldiers by name and also the commander of the Russian unit who systematically killed many people.”

Meanwhile, for her opera project, Limerick-based folk singer Rhiannon Giddens has been awarded the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Alongside American composer, Michael Abels, she won for the opera with libretto and music, Omar, which premiered in 2022.

The piece is based on the autobiography of an enslaved Muslim man who lived in Charleston, South Carolina in the 19th century.

The acclaimed singer and mother-of-two has lived in Limerick for over 10 years and is a Castletroy resident.

Reacting to the news on Twitter, Rhiannon commented: “Ok now that the shock has worn off (jk, it probably never will) I have to say a humongous thank you to the @PulitzerPrizes committee for recognizing this piece and for giving the remarkable story of Omar Ibn Said more light.”

She added: “This is cultural work, it’s heavy work, it’s energizing work, it’s spirit work. It’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of it.”

Administered by Columbia University and established in the will of newspaper publisher, Joseph Pulitzer, the annual Pulitzer Prizes are considered to be the highest honoUr in journalism, musical composition and literary achievement.

Across 23 categories, the Pulitzers honour the best in journalism, as well as in several arts categories.

In 1997, Limerick man, Frank McCourt, won a Pulitzer Prize for his acclaimed memoir, Angela's Ashes, which touched on the author's childhood in Limerick (including the rain) and on his father's alcoholism.