The Impartial Reporter
Encyclopedia
The Impartial Reporter is a newspaper based in Enniskillen
, County Fermanagh
, Northern Ireland
which is circulated in Fermanagh, South Tyrone
and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland
. It is the 3rd-oldest newspaper in Ireland, and is Fermanagh's oldest surviving weekly newspaper.
s. It became an early and outspoken champion of poor farmers during the 19th century's Land War
. With the passage of the Land Act of 1881, real reform began to take hold. Still, the newspaper continued to advocate for those who were still being "victimised" by unreasonable rents, the practice of using land courts (which were tilted towards landlords) to intimidate tenants, and other disadvantages. In August 1881, it rejected Parnell
's more radical Land League
proposals as a threat to social and political order.
The newspaper's campaign on behalf of farmers did not go unanswered. The Fermanagh Times was established in 1880 as a mouthpiece in opposition to the Impartial Reporter and other reformers. It was patronized by land-owning conservatives, and was run by William Ritchie.
and Orange
factions. The Orange Order was seen as being dominated by landed interests, and was generally opposed. The Impartial Reporter long reserved its opinion on the Home Rule
question—backing Gladstone
's position.
While the Impartial Reporter remained skeptical of Unionism
, the rival Fermanagh Times, reflecting its supporters' views, took an early Unionist stance. The Impartial Reporter eventually converted to supporting Unionist views during the second Home Rule debate in the early 1890s. It gradually became the most vocal advocate for Unionism in the county, eclipsing even the Fermanagh Times.
, Ltd.). It holds the world's record for being the newspaper to have its ownership longest in the hands of a single family. The Trimble family continues to exercise a managing role in the newspaper.
In 2008, the Impartial Reporter was named as "Newspaper of the Year" in the inaugural Slugger O'Toole
political awards.
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is a town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is located almost exactly in the centre of the county between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,599 in the 2001 Census...
, County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
which is circulated in Fermanagh, South Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is the 3rd-oldest newspaper in Ireland, and is Fermanagh's oldest surviving weekly newspaper.
Founding
The Impartial Reporter was founded in 1825 by William Trimble. Trimble took over from the original owner, printer John Gregsten. William Trimble was called the "Father of the Irish Press" During its early decades, coverage of the Great Famine was one of the top stories. The newspaper emerged the survivor of intense competition by rival newspapers in its early years.The Land War
The Impartial Reporter began to take notice of the plight of tenant farmerTenant farmer
A tenant farmer is one who resides on and farms land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management; while tenant farmers contribute their labor along with at times varying...
s. It became an early and outspoken champion of poor farmers during the 19th century's Land War
Land War
The Land War in Irish history was a period of agrarian agitation in rural Ireland in the 1870s, 1880s and 1890s. The agitation was led by the Irish National Land League and was dedicated to bettering the position of tenant farmers and ultimately to a redistribution of land to tenants from...
. With the passage of the Land Act of 1881, real reform began to take hold. Still, the newspaper continued to advocate for those who were still being "victimised" by unreasonable rents, the practice of using land courts (which were tilted towards landlords) to intimidate tenants, and other disadvantages. In August 1881, it rejected Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
's more radical Land League
Irish National Land League
The Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of the late 19th century which sought to help poor tenant farmers. Its primary aim was to abolish landlordism in Ireland and enable tenant farmers to own the land they worked on...
proposals as a threat to social and political order.
The newspaper's campaign on behalf of farmers did not go unanswered. The Fermanagh Times was established in 1880 as a mouthpiece in opposition to the Impartial Reporter and other reformers. It was patronized by land-owning conservatives, and was run by William Ritchie.
Unionism
In 1885, the editorial position was that the conflict between landlords and tenant farmers was a far more serious issue than the political arguments between GreenIrish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
and Orange
Orange Institution
The Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
factions. The Orange Order was seen as being dominated by landed interests, and was generally opposed. The Impartial Reporter long reserved its opinion on the Home Rule
Irish Home Rule Movement
The Irish Home Rule Movement articulated a longstanding Irish desire for the repeal of the Act of Union of 1800 by a demand for self-government within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The movement drew upon a legacy of patriotic thought that dated back at least to the late 17th...
question—backing Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
's position.
While the Impartial Reporter remained skeptical of Unionism
Unionism in Ireland
Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the continuation of some form of political union between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain...
, the rival Fermanagh Times, reflecting its supporters' views, took an early Unionist stance. The Impartial Reporter eventually converted to supporting Unionist views during the second Home Rule debate in the early 1890s. It gradually became the most vocal advocate for Unionism in the county, eclipsing even the Fermanagh Times.
Recent history
The Impartial Reporter was owned and published by the Trimble family until 2006, when it was sold to Ulster News Group (a subsidiary of Dunfermline PressDunfermline Press
The Dunfermline Press and West Fife Advertiser is a weekly Scottish broadsheet newspaper, based in Dunfermline, Fife. With average sales of 21,852 the newspaper is read by more people in the Dunfermline area than the other quality newspapers combined...
, Ltd.). It holds the world's record for being the newspaper to have its ownership longest in the hands of a single family. The Trimble family continues to exercise a managing role in the newspaper.
In 2008, the Impartial Reporter was named as "Newspaper of the Year" in the inaugural Slugger O'Toole
Slugger O'Toole
Slugger O'Toole is a weblog started in June 2002 by political analyst Mick Fealty. It began life as Letter to Slugger O'Toole, focused primarily on news and comment about Northern Ireland...
political awards.