Crombie wins AIB Press Photographer of Year award for third time

World renowned sports photographer James Crombie (Inpho Photography) has won the coveted AIB Press Photographer of the Year trophy for the third time.

Best known for his global sensation featuring a murmuration of starlings in 2022, the Westmeath photographer’s entry again featured wildlife, but it was his sensitively planned image for Pieta’s Darkness Into Light campaign that features on the award catalogue cover that confirms his skill and adaptability.

The annual awards, now in their 47th year, recognise press photographers from around Ireland with a collection of 110 images that tell the story of 2024 in pictures.

Hosted by broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan and organised by Press Photographers Ireland CLG, A ceremony was held at the UCD O’Reilly Hall last Friday 28 February, when Minister Jack Chambers presented the overall winning trophy to Mr Crombie.

The Rahugh native won praise for his artistic and technical skills.

“We judges had a difficult task comparing a shortlist of three fine portfolios of work which were different in their scope. We ultimately decided on this superb set of images by a photographer who clearly mainly covers sport but does so with great technical and artistic skill.

“We were all extremely impressed with the way the photographer nailed the best possible image from so many different situations inside and outside the field of play.

“This photographer is our unanimous choice as photographer of the year.”

The judging panel was again led by former picture editor of The Irish Times, Frank Miller alongside this year’s two judges Kate Horgan, photographer and one of the curators of the PPI Life Under Covid Collection and Shaun Botterill of Getty Images. Journalist Philip Bromwell and former RTÉ cameraman Michael Lee led the judging of the Multimedia category.

At the awards, David Branigan, president, Press Photographers Ireland CLG, said: “Once again, James Crombie has demonstrated outstanding creative and technical skills that makes him a worthy winner of the AIB Press Photographer of the Year Award.

“As the age of Gen AI and online fakery gathers pace, the images by our members that will now tour Ireland are a tonic for truth in our time - well worth viewing.”

Colin Hunt, CEO, AIB, said: “AIB is proud to once again support the Press Photographers Ireland Awards, and especially to recognise the AIB Sustainability Award for the image that best reflects the impact of climate change. Press photographers are at the frontline in documenting our times; their work instils trust and ensures that people can believe what they see, reminding us of the enduring power of visual story telling”.

Speaking on the awards, Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said: “I extend my sincere congratulations to James and to all those honoured on the night. These extraordinary images captured moments in times that tell a story about life in Ireland, about our society, our people, our culture, our traditions and our values. I thank all the entrants for their immense contribution to public life and to the PPI’s role in supporting and ensuring a free and high performing press that benefits and serves Ireland so well”.

Awards were presented in 11 categories – News, Daily Life and People, Sports Action, Sports Feature, Portrait, Nature and the Environment, Politics, Arts and Entertainment, Reportage, Multimedia and the newly launched Public Relations category in addition to the AIB Sustainability Award and two new stand-alone special awards, Irish Country Life and Best Use of Technology.

The AIB Sustainability Award was presented to Mark Condren of Mediahuis Ireland for his image, ‘Wading High’ which captures Irish National Stud gardeners removing pondweed from one of their park lakes highlighting the stud’s non-use of pesticides policy as part of the Irish National Stud and Gardens sustainability and biodiversity plan. The striking AIB Sustainability award, “True Inspiration”, carved by the artist Éibhlin Ní Chonaile of Celtic Roots Studio, was created from ancient bogwood over 5,000 years old.

The newly introduced Best Use of Technology Award was presented to Niall Carson, PA Images, for his drone image, ‘Holy Island’ from the funeral of the late Irish writer Edna O’Brien, captured over Holy Island, County Clare. The judges commented that the image captures the funeral and burial ‘…in a single excellent shot – something which would otherwise only be possible through multiple images’.

For the first year of the Irish Country Life Award, Dan Linehan of Irish Examiner was recognised for his image ‘Authority triumphs at Watergrasshill’. The picture story illustrates owners and participants of the international draghunt in Watergrasshill, County Cork, and the judges said it encapsulates ‘an aspect of country life not often seen’.

The first place winner of the Multimedia Award was The Irish Times photographer and video maker Bryan O’Brien for his short film ‘A Good Dog is Everything’, based on Paul Walker, a sheepdog trainer and shepherd based in Newport, County Mayo. Walker grew up in Chile, where he herded goats as a young man, and he believes that no technology or machinery can ever defeat a good sheepdog. In second place, Chani Anderson of The Irish Examiner was recognised for her short film ‘The Toy Collectors’ – a short documentary exploring three of Cork’s largest private toy collections. In third place, David Branigan of Oceansport was awarded for his short film, ‘Tommy’, a short film that highlights and captures the story of Tommy, a severely autistic teenager who finds a remarkable and special connection through his interaction with the sea.

The 2025 awards is the first under the ‘Press Photographers Ireland CLG’ title - the entity is the new name for the Press Photographers Association of Ireland and which continues the association’s link for press photographers across Ireland.

All the winning and short-listed images from the ‘AIB Press Photographer of the Year’ 2025 can be viewed at the touring exhibition visiting various venues across the country over the coming year.

The first visit on the exhibition tour will be at dlr LexIcon, Dun Laoghaire, from 12 March, before commencing a nationwide tour.

For further details on the exhibition and to view the winning images, see pressphotographers.ie.