Sam McBride

From uncovering shocking pollution in the largest lake in the country to seminal interviews with political and public figures, Sam McBride is a compelling feature writer with “great breadth and depth of coverage” in his work, according to Regional Press Awards judges. 

McBride is a very accomplished interviewer who gets under the skin of his subjects and is not afraid to ask the hard questions. McBride was trusted by BBC broadcaster Stephen Nolan, one of the corporation’s best-paid broadcasters, on account of his robust and fair approach to interviewees. The result was a fascinating insight into a public figure who rarely grants interviews. In another accomplished interview, McBride spoke to DUP founding member Wallace Thompson, who not only revealed that he believed some form of united Ireland is inevitable, but that he is open to considering it. The judges marked out McBride’s first-class interviewing skills, with one adding: “I'm heartened that local journalists like this still exist.”

His account of the shocking events at Lough Neagh demonstrated an outstanding ability to bring to life a complex and important story: a vital waterway being polluted with deadly cyanobacteria. It led to civil servants finally convening a multi-agency meeting and the Food Standards Agency developing the first UK test to establish if the lough’s fish are safe to eat. The story dominated the news agenda for weeks, followed up by Sky News, the BBC, ITV, RTE, and The Economist.