Journalists Stephen Grimason and Ken Reid awarded QUB medals

Veteran journalists Stephen Grimason and Ken Reid have been honoured at a special ceremony on Thursday.

BBC NI's former political editor Mr Grimason and former UTV political editor Ken Reid received the Queen's University Belfast Chancellor's Medals.

The two men covered some of the worst atrocities of the Troubles before chronicling the peace process.

Both attended a special reception at the university to be formally recognised for services to journalism.

Mr Grimason was the BBC's political editor at the time of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

He was the first reporter at Stormont to receive the document and break the news of the deal.

Mr Reid joined UTV in 1994 and led the channel's coverage of politics for several decades. He stepped down from the role of political editor in 2021.

The Queen's University Belfast Chancellor's Medals were introduced in 2023 as part of a conference marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The awards were created to celebrate achievement in civic leadership in all its aspects.

Speaking to BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme, Mr Reid said that it was "fantastic" to receive the honour.

"Both of us could say that we had a career that we loved," he said.

"We're very good friends by the way, we were rivals for years but we were always good friends."

Mr Grimason echoed the sentiment: "We'd have killed each for a story but we were always good friends, we could have a pint afterwards."

Reflecting on a career highlight he said: "For a wee lad from Mourne View to sit in the Oval Office with his bum on the resolute desk... I thought when that happened: this isn't bad."

The university's president and vice-chancellor, Prof Sir Ian Greer, said both men had made a truly remarkable contribution to journalism for more than 40 years.

"Ken and Stephen will be the first recipients from their profession to receive the Queen's University Chancellor Medals and I can think of no more deserving individuals to break this new ground," he said.

"The Troubles saw some world-class journalism emanate from [Northern Ireland] and they provided a vital public service during the dark days of fear and uncertainty."

Mr Grimason, originally from Lurgan, Co Armagh, and Mr Reid, who is from Belfast, first met while working as young journalists at former newspaper the Belfast News.

They continued to work as colleagues at the News Letter before working as political correspondents at BBC Northern Ireland and UTV.

Recently both men have spoken of their battles with cancer.