Castletownroche native Mark Condren of The Irish Independent, was named Press Photographer of the Year when the winners of the 38th annual PPAI ‘Press Photographer of the Year 2016’ Awards were announced.
For Mark, who in his early years cut his teeth with The Avondhu, it’s his fourth time to receive the accolade. This year, over 2,000 images were entered by 103 photographers from around the country.
Michael Chester, president, Press Photographers Association of Ireland, said he was delighted to congratulate Mark Condren on being named the Press Photographers Association of Ireland ‘Press Photographer of the Year 2016’.
“Mark’s skills across a broad range of subjects and sensitivity stood out to the judges. The main objective of our annual awards is to celebrate and promote Irish press photography.”
Mark won the award for his very sad yet touching photograph entitled ‘Goodbye’ which shows a young boy who lost members of his family in the fire at the Traveller halting site in Carrickmines, at the funerals.
Speaking afterwards on The Late Late Show on Friday night, Mark said that ‘as a father of 3 kids when you’re photographing it like that, it really touches home how sad it is’.
For details of the ‘Press Photographer of the Year 2016’ Exhibition around the country, see www.ppai.ie for tour updates and to view the full collection of winning and highly commended images.
