Health

The Irish Times shortlisted for mental health media awards

Awards recognise excellence in coverage of mental health issues

Geraldine and Devin as a baby: ‘Devin was two weeks old when I realised my behaviour, my mood, my attitude and the frightening attacks were more than simply being overwhelmed with a newborn and a pre-schooler.’

Tue Nov 5 2019 - 09:01

The Irish Times has been shortlisted in three categories for the 2019 Headline Mental Health Media Awards.

The awards – which were established more than a decade ago and relaunched this year – recognise excellence in the coverage of mental health issues.

In "Mental Health Content: Special Interest", Geraldine Walsh has been nominated for a feature in The Irish Times about postnatal depression and anxiety – PND: 'This new baby, with a head of blonde hair, was perfect. I was not' – which drew from personal experience. In it she wrote: "The road away from the volcano is long, with an unnerving feeling of danger, as we lose trust in ourselves. Eventually, the further our distance becomes from the terrifying eruptions, we learn to walk, pace ourselves, and feel safe."

Also on the short-list in the same category are Paul Fennessy (The42) and Margaret Hawkins (Irish Country Living).

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In "Mental Health Journalism: National Print/Online" June Shannon is nominated for an article – Pregnancy is when a woman's mental health can be most at risk – about pregnancy and suicide". Stella O'Malley (Irish Independent) and Orla Ryan (The Journal) are also nominated in the same category.

Along with The Journal and Newstalk, The Irish Times is also shortlisted for The Headline Voice Media Award. The award is “for a publisher, in print or online, or broadcaster who has demonstrated excellence in the quality and quantity of coverage given to people with self-experience of mental ill health”.

Overall, the 10-category shortlist for the 2019 Headline Mental Health Media Awards is drawn from sources throughout the country – including RTÉ, the Clare Champion, Limerick Post, TU Dublin, and the Blindboy Podcast.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on December 4th.

2019 Shortlist

Mental Health Journalism | National Print/Online
- 'Why it's not always 'good to talk'…', Stella O'Malley for The Irish Independent.
- 'Pregnancy is when mental health can be most at risk', June Shannon for The Irish Times.
- ''You've got everything now, you should be fine': How youth workers are helping LGBTI+ people post-marriage referendum', Orla Ryan for TheJournal.ie.

Mental Health Journalism | Local Print/Online
- 'What is happening to our young people?', Emma Connolly for The Southern Star.
- 'I hid it so well. No one knew', Carol Byrne for The Clare Champion
- 'Permanent base for Limerick Crisis Response Team', Nicole Glennon for Limerick Post

Mental Health Broadcasting | One-off Documentary
- 'My Other Life: Ireland's Young and Their Mental Health', Edvinas Maciulevicius for RTÉ 2.
- 'Documentary On One: The Yellow Line', Ronan Kelly for RTÉ Radio 1
- Documentary On One: The Undetectables', Nicoline Greer for RTÉ Radio 1

Mental Health Broadcasting | Current Affairs Programme
- 'Alan Quinlan opens up about his mental health', Newstalk Breakfast on Newstalk
- 'Living with Depression', Lunchtime Live on Newstalk
- 'Katie Hannon on Suicide', Liveline on RTÉ Radio 1

Mental Health Content | Special Interest
- 'PND: 'This new baby, with a head of blonde hair, was perfect. I was not', Geraldine Walsh, for The Irish Times
- 'A one-time world champion Irish prodigy's descent into hell and back', Paul Fennessy for The42.ie
- 'Light At The End Of the Tunnel', Margaret Hawkins for Irish Farmers Journal, Irish Country Living supplement

Mental Health Content | Online
- 'Where There's a Will', A Lust for Life Podcast
- 'I lost two sons to suicide – I want people to know it's okay to have problems', Michelle Hennessy for TheJournal.ie Podcast
- 'Are we stressing our children out?', Dr Malie Coyne for RTE Brainstorm

Headline Voice Media Award in partnership with See Change
- The Irish Times
- TheJournal.ie
- Newstalk for Lunchtime Live

Headline Impact Award
- The Blindboy Podcast
- Newstalk for Lunchtime Live
- TheJournal.ie

Headline Student Journalist Award
- In Pursuit of Treatment and Identity, Sam Cox of Trinity College Dublin
- The Watchers Who Show a Way Out of the Darkness, Nicole Glennon of University Limerick
- Hand in Hand, Jesse Melia of Technological University Dublin

Special Recognition
- Jess McCaul for Inpatient Treatment article featured on ALustForLife.com
- Blessing Dada for Why I advocate for mental health among minorities article featured on SpunOut.ie
- Meggan O'Reilly for The Happy Plug Podcast

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