TWO University of Limerick students, Jennifer Purcell from Rosbrien and Michaela Deane, from Belmullet Co. Mayo, have taken top honours at the Headline Award for Student Journalism 2016.
Jennifer’s articles, “Our Suicide Scourge”, and “Everyone’s in the same Boat” won for a combination of excellent writing, compelling personal stories of grief and recovery, which includes expert advice and a focus on support services.
Speaking about Jennifer’s entries, Irish Times Education Editor Carl O’Brien said “The story of Cormac Hayes’s recovery from mental health problems, in particular, is a moving piece of journalism, while the focus on support teams provides an insight into the work of psychiatric services and helps demystify many of the misconceptions that surround mental health problems”.
In securing the runner-up spot, Micheala Dean penned a piece ‘Mental Health not just confined to anxiety and depression’, which was published online by The Irish Times, and was one of five shortlisted entries from journalism students across the country.
Speaking about Ms Deane’s entry, Mr O’Brien said, “Michaela’s article is an excellent first-person exploration of what we talk about when we talk about mental illness.
“Rather than simply anxiety or depression, she makes the point that there are far more complex forms of illness such as personality disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.”
He continued, “She makes a strong case for the fact that these illnesses still suffer from stigma and are frequently misunderstood. The article is engaging, enlightening and highly accessible: the hallmarks of good journalism”.
Headline runs award in an effort to raise awareness among media students of the issues involved when reporting on mental health and suicide and to recognise the good work being produced.
Headline is Ireland’s national media monitoring programme, working to promote responsible and accurate coverage of mental health and suicide related issues within the Irish media.
