Donegal delight at Student Journalist of the Year awards in Dublin

Moville Community College are celebrating fantastic success at the Young Journalist Ireland Awards.

The Overall Student Journalist of the Year 2026 award was presented to Rhéa McLaughlin from the Inishowen school, while she also won the Features section.

Cara Harkin, also from Moville Community College, came second in Features, while the school also won the best School Newspaper award.

The winners of the Young Journalist Ireland Awards, run by NewsBrands Ireland, were announced at a ceremony in the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, celebrating the outstanding work of Transition Year students from across the country.

Hosted by journalist Róisín Ingle, prizes were awarded across six categories: Features, Opinion, Sports Journalism, Photojournalism, Podcast, and School Newspaper.

Speaking about the programme, Chair of NewsBrands Ireland, Sammi Bourke, said: “Sincere congratulations to all of today’s winners. Our Young Journalist Ireland programme aims to spark a passion for journalism in the next generation. Through the programme, students learn how to research, verify and tell stories - but just as importantly, they learn how to think critically about the information they encounter every day.

“That skill has never been more important. We live in a time when misinformation can spread in seconds and when AI is rapidly changing how information is created and shared. In that environment, recognising trustworthy journalism is more important than ever.”

Speaking about the winning piece, Chair of the Judging Panel and Editor of The Sunday Times Ireland, Kieran McDaid, said: “This piece reminds us that powerful stories are often close to home - you don’t need a celebrity subject to produce an outstanding feature. Instead, this writer found her story within her own family, with her grandmother at its heart.”

‘From the Back Step’ is a deeply personal and insightful account of life during the Troubles, told through the memories of the writer’s grandmother growing up in the Bogside area of Derry. The feature blends personal reflection with historical context, giving readers a vivid sense of everyday life amid tension and fear. The writer approaches difficult material with honesty and care, illustrating how conflict shaped one generation while peace defines the next.”

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Young Journalist Ireland is a recipient of the 2026 sponsorship scheme from Coimisiún na Meán. Speaking about the programme, Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Media Development Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, said: “I’d like to offer my congratulations to all of the winners at today’s event. Coimisiún na Meán recognises the importance of high-quality journalism, and we will continue to support it through our funding schemes and by sponsoring important initiatives like the Young Journalist Ireland programme. Promoting media literacy and research skills among the next generation of journalists is a crucial step in ensuring that our population continues to have access to accurate news and current affairs reporting.”

Now in its 14th year, the Young Journalist Ireland programme reaches more than 10,000 Transition Year students annually. The initiative is designed to build media literacy skills, foster critical thinking, and inspire the next generation of journalists. Students learn how to assess sources, identify misinformation, and produce their own journalism, guided by professional journalists and editors.

Competition entries were judged by a panel of national journalists and editors, recognising both individual creativity and school-based collaboration.