"Without Mary's determination, so much of what we know about our collective past would still remain hidden."

Abuse victim Andrew Madden, author of 'Altar Boy: A Story of Life After Abuse'. Click here to read further tributes about Mary Raftery.

The Mary Raftery Journalism Fund (MRJF) was established by the friends and family of investigative journalist Mary Raftery, whose pioneering investigative work uncovered serious abuses and scandals within Irish life.

The aim of the MRJF, which was launched in September 2012 and operated until December 2018, was to promote in-depth investigative coverage of issues close to Mary’s heart and on which she focused her ground-breaking investigative work. Through its awards, the Fund offered an opportunity for journalists to carry out detailed investigations and to expose social injustice.  The awards programme was financially supported by The One Foundation, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and The Tony Ryan Foundation, as well as by donations from private individuals.

The Fund also held annual seminars on investigative journalism, in collaboration with the Irish Film Institute, supported by the BAI and Dublin City University (DCU). In addition, the Fund collaborated with RTÉ to offer a place on their investigative journalism course in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, the Fund worked with The Irish Times to establish a bursary and traineeship in investigative journalism.

In December 2018, the Mary Raftery Journalism Fund ceased operations, having reached an agreement with the Media History Collection of the School of Communications, DCU to continue aspects of the Fund’s commemorative work.  Details of those activities will be announced in April 2019, on the occasion of the launch of an exhibition in DCU drawn from the Mary Raftery Archive, donated by Mary’s family.