On June 25, Ireland’s communications industry gathered at the Shelbourne Hotel for the 2026 Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) Spotlight Awards, celebrating the campaigns, agencies and individuals setting new standards in strategic communications.
With 94 shortlisted entries across 23 categories, this year’s awards recognised work that delivered measurable business growth, influenced public policy, strengthened communities and created meaningful societal change. From commercial success to publicimpact, the winning campaigns demon strated the increasingly strategic role communications professionals play in helping organisations achieve their most important goals. The spotlight at this year’s awards shone on the people, relationships and creativity ideas that make the Irish communications industry so impactful.
In his opening remarks, Brian Harrison, PRCA chair and managing director of MKC Communications captured the spirit of the event, saying: “Good communications require judgment, empathy, creativity. Those qualities are very much evident in the quality of work we are celebrating tonight.”
One of the evening’s defining moments was the induction of Rhona Blake, managing director of FleishmanHillard Ire land, into the PRCA Hall of Fame. Blake became the second recipient of the prestigious honour, in recognition of more than four decades of leadership, innovation and commitment to advancing the public relations profession in Ireland.
Blake offered words of advice to emerging PR professionals in the room, reflect ing on both the wisdom of experience, and the spotlight of inspiration for the next generation: “A good network makes your job a whole lot easier and a whole lot more fun. Go network!”