'Irish Times' photographer scoops the top prize

Brenda Fitzsimons of The Irish Times has been named the Eircell Vodafone Press Photographer of the Year for 2001. The first woman to win the title in the 23 years of the awards, she became the first female staff photographer in the history of The Irish Times when she joined the newspaper full-time last year.

Ms Fitzsimons, who is from Galway and formerly worked for the Irish Press, also won first prize in the Individual Study category.

The Irish Times won eight awards at last night's ceremony, including first prize in four categories and a clean sweep in the Arts, where Matt Kavanagh, Alan Betson and Dara MacDonaill were first, second and third, respectively.

Joe St Leger won the Features title; Bryan O'Brien - the overall winner for the past two years - won the Picture Essay category for a series on the Dunhallow Hunt in Co Kerry, published in The Irish Times Saturday Magazine; Cyril Byrne, a full-time freelance with The Irish Times, took second prize in the Individual Study; and Dara MacDonaill was also second in the People category.

William Cherry of Pacemaker Press International won the award for best News picture, with "School Run", which featured a child being escorted to the Holy Cross School in Belfast, at the height of the loyalist protests.

Julian Behal of Maxwells Picture Agency won the special humour award; Moya Nolan, a freelance, took first place in the People category; Ann McManus of the Irish News won the Politics award; and Eddie O'Hare of the Evening Echo won in Sport.

The entries were judged by a panel chaired by Dr Pat Donlon and also including Martin Argeles of the Guardian and David Ashdown of the Independent.

Republic of Ireland soccer international Niall Quinn was the special guest at the ceremony, held in the O'Reilly Hall, University College, Dublin. Eircell marked the occasion by making a €17,000 donation to his forthcoming club testimonial with Sunderland. All proceeds from the May 14th game, in which Sunderland play a Republic of Ireland selection, will benefit children's charities. Eircell made the contribution by buying 1,000 "non-attendance" match tickets, to support what company CEO, Mr Paul Donovan, said was the footballer's "unprecedented" gesture.

Mr Donovan praised the standard in the photography awards, saying that both the number of entries and their quality was growing every year.

The judges have picked 100 photographs, including all the prize-winners, for a travelling exhibition which will visit 15 locations throughout the country this year.