Mayo's Enda O’Dowd wins major journalism award

A Mayo born video journalist has won an award at the NewsBrands Ireland Journalism Awards in Dublin.

Enda O’Dowd, a native of Rathbawn, Castlebar, who is now living in Dublin, was recognised for Best Use of Video for his work interviewing people inside an emergency accommodation centre and inside Midlands Prison.

Enda is a son of Brendan and Frances O’Dowd.

He lives in Dublin with his wife, Fidelma, and two children, Alfie and Marnie.

Enda wasn’t able to attend last night’s awards ceremony as he is in the United States at the moment.

The award was collected on his behalf by his colleague, Conor Goodman.

Over the past month he has travelled widely in the U.S. covering the presidential election.

The annual journalism awards took place at the Mansion House and overall winners were named as Mark Tighe and Marie Crowe, Sunday Independent/ Irish Independent.

In total, the Irish Times won eight awards.

Speaking at the prize-giving event at Dublin’s Mansion House Fianna Fáil leader and Tánaiste Micheál Martin pledged to reintroduce the Defamation Bill in the next Dáil to protect publishers against strategic legal actions designed to prevent publication of matters in the public interest.

“The aggressive use of defamation laws to stifle independent journalism and fair political debate, is a problem which will become a crisis if it’s not stopped now,” Mr. Martin said.