Football

Irish News sports journalist wins prestigious national award for feature on former Down star Peter Withnell

Neil Loughran's interview with Peter Withnell marked the 25th anniversary of Down's 1991 All-Ireland success
Neil Loughran's interview with Peter Withnell marked the 25th anniversary of Down's 1991 All-Ireland success Neil Loughran's interview with Peter Withnell marked the 25th anniversary of Down's 1991 All-Ireland success

IRISH News sports journalist Neil Loughran has scooped a major national honour in the prestigious MacNamee Awards for 2016, in recognition of a revealing two-part feature on former Down player Peter Withnell.

Withnell came from relative obscurity to form part of a fearsome forward line that brought Sam Maguire back to the Mourne county for the first time in 23 years, and enjoyed a colourful – if all too brief – career in the red and black.

In declaring Neil the winner of the ‘National Media’ category, the committee described the interview as “a revealing and fascinating account, published over two days and notable for the depth of detail on both his sporting prowess and his philosophical approach to life.

“The writer’s interviewing technique and the excellence in which he presented Withnell’s narrative made for an absorbing story, expertly told.”

Part one: Remembering Peter Withnell - the man who came from nowhere to help Down land Sam

Part two: Peter Withnell was 'like a meteorite going across the sky' reflects Pete McGrath

Irish News sports editor Thomas Hawkins said: “I'm delighted for Neil. The MacNamee Awards are very prestigious and much prized among GAA journalists.” 

“To come out top in this category is really special. The standard of the entries is exceptionally high; you are competing against the best journalists in the GAA field.

“I know the effort and research Neil puts into all his work and his MacNamee feature submission on former Down star Peter Withnell was a superb piece of sports journalism.

“And it's just one of a series of brilliant sports features Neil has written in 2016 since joining the sports reporting team.

“On behalf of all his colleagues in The Irish News I would like to congratulate him on this achievement, and the same goes for all the MacNamee Award category winners.

“They have all excelled in their various fields.''

Neil’s success is one of five won by entries from Ulster for contributions to GAA communications last year.

Tyrone GAA won the coveted ‘Best Programme’ award for the county final and subsequent replay between Killyclogher and Coalisland, while the Monaghan GAA Yearbook was named ‘Best GAA Publication’.

John McIlwaine won ‘Best Photograph’ for a superb “ghostly image” taken at a hurling match played in falling fog, and Linwoods Armagh TV was chosen as the ‘Best New Digital Initiative’.

Recipients will receive their awards from GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghail at Croke Park on Friday night.