Mayo man Declan Walsh has received the Pulitzer Price, one of the most prestigious awards known in journalism.

The Ballina native received the recognition in the category 'International Reporting' for his work covering the civil war in Sudan, together with the staff of The New York Times.

The statement from the jury read: "For their revelatory investigation of the conflict in Sudan, including reporting on foreign influence and the lucrative gold trade fueling it, and chilling forensic accounts of the Sudanese forces responsible for atrocities and famine."

Walsh himself wrote on his social media account: 'An immense honour to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize'.

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And his alma mater, St Muredach's College Ballina congratulated their former pupil: "Declan’s achievement is a powerful reminder to all our students that the values of truth, integrity, and courage can make a global impact."

An unexpected congratulations came from one of Declan's former student colleagues. Well known Irish comedian Dara Ó Briain posted on X/ Twitter: 

TFW someone you worked with on a student newspaper in UCD 30 years ago, wins a bloody Pulitzer Prize! Huge congratulations to @declanwalsh, fully deserved. @UCDObserver https://t.co/y4pxlnEQQ8

— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) May 6, 2025

Walsh has won multiple awards

Walsh works as Chief Africa Correspondent for The New York Times, based in Nairobi. He was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize, and in 2019 he won a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for his reporting from Yemen.

In 2020 he published a book, “The Nine Lives of Pakistan,” that won the Cornelius Ryan Award for nonfiction from the Overseas Press Club of America, and in 2024 Walsh was part of a team that won a Press Club award for its coverage of Russia and Ukraine.

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