Agriland Media has won three awards at the 2024 AgriGuild Awards which took place in Dublin last night (Thursday, November 28).

The biennial awards, hosted by the Guild of Agricultural Journalists, recognise journalists for their outstanding work in national and regional media, along with consultants in the communications sector, across nine different categories.

The Guild of Agricultural Journalists supports journalists, editors, public relations and marketing professionals in the agri-media sector to network, inspire, inform and learn.

AgriGuild Awards

Agriland took top honours in the Best Visual Report category for the Agriland Livestream of Ploughing 2023.

The comprehensive coverage of the National Ploughing Championships involved input from the entire Agriland team.

The Best Feature Story category was won by Agriland technical beef specialist, Breifne O’Brien for his story: ‘Video: Cavan farmer ‘lucky to be alive’ after fall into slurry pit’.

The story detailed how a suckler farmer from Ballyjamesduff in Co. Cavan survived a fall into a slurry pit with over 5ft of slurry in it.

(L-R) Tom McGuire chair of this year's judging panel, Stella Meehan chair of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists, Breifne O'Brien Agriland technical beef specialist and Michael Berkery chair FBD Trust. Image: Finbarr O'Rourke
(L-R) Tom McGuire chair of this year’s judging panel, Stella Meehan chair of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists, Breifne O’Brien Agriland technical beef specialist and Michael Berkery chair FBD Trust. Image: Finbarr O’Rourke

Agriland journalist Louise Hickey won the Best Use of Audio award for ‘We’re being left behind’ says farmer with learning difficulties‘.

The report, which included an audio version of the story, highlighted the case of a Carlow farmer who has spent more than 10 years campaigning for people with learning difficulties

(L-R) Stella Meehan chair of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists, Tom McGuire chair of this year's judging panel, Louise Hickey Agriland journalist and Michael Berkery chair FBD Trust. Image: Finbarr O'Rourke
(L-R) Stella Meehan chair of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists, Tom McGuire chair of this year’s judging panel, Louise Hickey Agriland journalist and Michael Berkery chair FBD Trust. Image: Finbarr O’Rourke

The AgriGuild Awards 2024 ceremony, sponsored by FBD, took place the Castleknock Hotel.

This year’s judging panel is chaired by former RTE Radio editor Tom McGuire, who is joined by Maeve Dineen (communications consultant and former journalist), Joe Healy (former Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) president and chair of the Agri-Food Regulator), Michele Filippi (PR consultant) and Anne-Marie Butler (Head of Education, Teagasc).

Agriland was also nominated in the Best News Story category for ‘Nutrition shortfalls contained in 2019 ‘Planetary Health Diet’ written by Charles O’Donnell.

The digital media company was also shortlisted for Colm Ryan’s report ‘Farmers’ heartbreak over flooding at Lough Funsinagh‘ in the Best Visual category.

Other winners

Best Environmental Reporting – Anaerobic Digestion, derogations and dairy farmers – can they co-exist? – Stephen Robb (Irish Farmers Journal);

Best News Story – Revealed: Coolmore’s extensive land empire – Caitriona Morrissey (Irish Farmers Journal);

Best Photograph – ‘Playing the Blues’ – Dan Linehan (Irish Examiner);

Best Targeted Campaign – Farmer Time – Elaine Crosse (Airfield Estate);

Best Technical Article – The successful ‘back to basics’ approach of farming in the Burren – Anne Kinsella (RTE Brainstorm);

Rising Star Award – Anne O’ Donoghue (Irish Farmers Journal).