The Westport based newspaper, the Mayo News, has won a coveted European design award for the third year in a row.
Once again it was the innovative sports supplement of the newspaper that was chosen for a category prize.
The Evening Echo in Cork was the only other Irish newspaper to receive an award in 2001, while the Dutch newspaper Trouw was the recipient of the overall prize.
"We are very excited about the award," said Mr Declan McGuire, the paper's general manager. "It is a much sought-after accolade in the European newspaper business and the fact that we have won prizes for three years in a row is a vindication of our policy to deliver an excellently designed product."
The last few years have seen the Mayo News, which was founded in 1892, grow from strength to strength. Long-time editor Sean Staunton and his strong team of young journalists have steered the newspaper from being a mainly Westport organ to a seriously competitive county newspaper.
The Mayo News was one of the first provincial Irish newspapers to produce a weekly sports supplement. Since then many other provincials have followed suit. Plans are already afoot to further develop the features section during 2002.
Meanwhile, the staff of 20 look forward to a gala ceremony at the City Hall in Aachen, Germany, on February 1st and the honour of having their paper exhibited alongside the Independent on Sunday, Trouw and the Evening Echo, at the International Museum of Aachen.