Irish journalist wins Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting

Declan Walsh, who was born and raised in Ireland, and the Staff of The New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting.

The 2025 Pulitzer Prizes, awarded on the recommendation of the Pulitzer Prize Board, were announced by Columbia University on Monday, May 5.

Walsh, who is now based in Nairobi in Kenya, is the chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times.

Walsh and the Staff of The New York Times were recognized 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."

Their body of Pulitzer Prize-winning work includes six pieces all published between June and December last year.

Along with the prestige of winning a Pulitzer Prize, Walsh and the Staff of The New York Times have won $15,000.

Who is Declan Walsh?

Walsh was born and raised in Ballina in Co Mayo, and attended University College Dublin and Dublin City University. He began his career with The Business Post, also in Dublin.

In his own words: "I joined The Times in 2011 after seven years covering Pakistan and Afghanistan for The Guardian. Two years later, I was expelled from Pakistan for my reporting.

"In 2015, I moved to Cairo, reporting across the Middle East, but took a detour to the United States for six months in 2016 to write 'Abroad in America,' a column about the presidential election. Since 2020 I’ve been based in Kenya — my second stint in the country, where I lived for five years as a freelance reporter in the early 2000s."

Walsh, who has also written for The New York Times Magazine and Granta, was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize and, in 2019, 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.

Last year, he was part of a team that won a Press Club award for its coverage of Russia and Ukraine.

Walsh says: "Covering a sprawling continent with dozens of countries is a daunting challenge. My job is to report in depth on themes and major stories that span many countries — most recently, Africa’s extraordinary youth boom and the devastating civil war in Sudan.

"I also specialize in investigative reporting that uncovers the hidden machinations behind major stories. Foreign meddling in Africa, often in pursuit of rare minerals or strategic advantage, is a frequent theme.

"But the most powerful stories often come through individuals, and I strive to give voice to the most vulnerable members of the societies I cover."

What are the Pulitzer Prizes?

The Pulitzer Prizes were established by Joseph Pulitzer, a Hungarian-American journalist and newspaper publisher, who left money to Columbia University upon his death in 1911. A portion of his bequest was used to found the School of Journalism in 1912 and establish the Pulitzer Prizes, which were first awarded in 1917.

The 18-member Pulitzer Board is composed of leading journalists or news executives from media outlets across the U.S., as well as five academics or persons in the arts. The dean of Columbia's journalism school and the administrator of the prizes are non-voting members. The chair rotates annually to the most senior member or members.