Bryan O'Brien of The Irish Times was last night named the PPAI/AIB Photographer of the Year 2002 at a ceremony in Dublin.
It is the third time O'Brien has won the Press Photographers' Association of Ireland award since he joined the newspaper and the seventh year in succession that the award has gone to an Irish Times photographer. Last year's winner was Brenda Fitzsimons.
Speaking at the presentation, the AIB managing director, Mr Donal Forde, praised all the entrants. He said the number of images submitted had increased from 1,000 last year to about 1,400 this year. Thanking the judges, Mr Mark Grosset, from Paris, Mr Oddleiv Apneseth, from Norway, and the chairman, Dr Pat Donlon, Mr Forde said that the high standard of the entries had made their job very difficult.
This year the association is marking its 25th anniversary and messages of congratulation were sent by President McAleese and the Taoiseach.
In his letter Mr Ahern referred to a recent photograph: "A Taoiseach may think he is walking on water in Drumcondra. But, when transposed to the front pages by Colin Keegan, he finds that he is actually up to his kneecaps in dirty water. Politicians, of course, are like ducks. They want you to think that they are swimming serenely by, while in reality they are paddling furiously. On that particular occasion I had lost not only my paddle but my canoe as well."
The full results were:
News: 1, Donna McBride, Provision; 2, Brendan Murphy, Irish News; 3, Bryan O'Brien, The Irish Times.
Sports: 1, Domnick Walsh, Domnick Walsh Photography; 2, John D Kelly, freelance; 3, Eric Luke, The Irish Times.
Features: 1, Valerie O'Sullivan, freelance; 2, Brenda Fitzsimons, The Irish Times; 3, Julien Behal, Maxwells Agency.
People: 1, Alan Betson, The Irish Times; 2, Don MacMonagle, MacMonagle Photography; 3, Cyril Byrne, freelance.
Individual Study: 1. Michael Mac Sweeney, Provision; 2. James Horan, Press 22; 3. Aengus McMahon, freelance.
The Arts: 1. Bryan O'Brien, The Irish Times; 2, Matt Kavanagh, The Irish Times; 3, Matt Kavanagh.
Political: 1, James Connelly, Picsell8; 2, Marc O'Sullivan, freelance; 3, Brenda Fitzsimons, The Irish Times.
Picture Story: 1, Kenneth O'Halloran, the Irish Independent; 2, Kim Haughton, freelance; 3, Domnick Walsh, Domnick Walsh Photography.
Humour: Colin Keegan, Collins Photo Agency.