Snapper’s focus on home wins international prize

Thomas Lyons

A Mullingar photographer has been recognised for his work in the 2026 World Sports Photography Awards. Noel McIntyre of Motion Picture Media, received a bronze award in the Aquatic category.

Late last year Noel made the shortlist with two images; one taken in Mullingar at the Canoe Polo Championships last summer, and the other at Laytown races in September. Last week it was announced his canoe polo pic was a category medallist.

The World Sports Photography Awards are judged by leading figures from sport, media, photography, branding, and the creative industries.

“We did the business in the end,” Noel told the Examiner. “I’m immensely proud, particularly because it’s an image taken in my home town in a sport my son is passionate about. To think it caught the eye of an international judging panel is something I’m very proud of.”

The winning photographs in the competition are breathtaking. The 21 categories in this year’s competition included pictures from a diverse range of sports including athletics, American football, boxing, Formula One and golf.

Noel’s snap is a remarkable moment in time. It captures a competitor as he emerges from the water, spray surrounding as a canoeist challenges him for the ball. The photographer says it was not simply a matter of the stars aligning for the shot.

“You have to put yourself in the position to be able to take advantage of these opportunities,” he said. “If that’s what you mean by ‘the stars aligned’, I suppose they started to align on the harbour when that moment in time presented itself. I was there at the right place at the right time, but I was down there for three days. You have to put in the effort.”

Noel says the recognition from the win can benefit his job: “The world is full of amazing photographers, you have to have your work seen. I think I’m doing a pretty good job. I keep diversifying and changing and adapting. I’m very pleased that I have the capability and ability to go from reportage documentary work to, say, landscape photography.

“I started in video film, so to be able to take a world-class sports photograph and to end up doing well in an internationally recognised competition is pretty neat.”

The decision to enter the World Sports Photography Awards was based on the prestige of the competition: “I rarely enter competitions because many of them are commercial enterprises. There are hundreds and hundreds of them on the internet every day of the week. This one is a genuine showcase of talent, because it’s free to enter and sponsored by one of the leading global camera manufacturers, Canon. It’s a true showcase of sports photography talent.”

Noel is pleased by many facets of the win: “In Ireland canoe polo is under the radar. That’s another reason I find this win particularly satisfying.

“It’s putting that sport in the limelight. I’ve had the International Canoe Federation on to me from Hungary. It’s the first time that sport has been showcased at this level. As I said my son plays it and the shot was taken at Mullingar harbour, I’m very proud of that,” he concluded.