Journalist

As a journalist you research, verify and report on news stories across print, broadcast and digital media in Ireland. Your daily work involves interviewing sources, attending press conferences, checking facts, and writing or presenting stories to tight deadlines. You cover a wide range of beats — from politics and courts to sport, science and culture — depending on your specialism and employer. You collaborate closely with editors, photographers, camera operators and social media teams to ensure stories reach audiences accurately and promptly. Upholding ethical standards, including accuracy, fairness and the right of reply, is central to everything you do.

Leaving Certificate subjects such as English, Irish, History, Economics and a modern language are particularly useful for this career. The most common route into journalism in Ireland is a Level 8 Honours Bachelor degree in Journalism or Communications, offered at institutions including DCU, TU Dublin and the University of Limerick. Some graduates enter with a degree in another discipline and then complete a postgraduate diploma or master's in journalism at Level 9. A small number of entrants build careers through PLC courses in media production or communications at Level 5 or 6, followed by hands-on experience at community radio, student publications or regional outlets. There is no single statutory registration body for journalists in Ireland, though the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) provides professional membership and a code of conduct widely respected across the industry.