The Irish Press
Encyclopedia
The Irish Press was an Irish
national daily newspaper
published by Irish Press plc between 5 September 1931 and 25 May 1995.
Final; other newspapers did not cover GAA
sports in any detail at the time. Margaret Pearse
, the mother of Padraig and Willie Pearse
, pressed the button to start the printing presses. The initial aim of its publisher was to achieve a circulation of 100,000 which it quickly accomplished. It went on to list a subscribership of 200,000 at its peak. Irish Press Ltd. was officially registered on 4 September 1928, three years before the paper was first published, to create a newspaper independent of the existing media where the Independent Newspapers group was seen as supporting Cumann na nGaedheal/Fine Gael
, and The Irish Times
being pro-union, and with a mainly middle class or Protestant readership. The Irish Press founder Éamon de Valera
said the paper's objective was: "To give the truth in the news, that will be the chief aim of The Irish Press. The Irish Press will be a truthful journal and a good newspaper". The founders planned to produce an evening and Sunday edition of the paper if the daily was successful, and they did.
by a bond drive to finance the First Dail
. The amount raised was $5 million ($55 million adjusted for inflation as of 2011). However, 60 percent of this money was left in various banks in New York. Nobody has been able to explain why Éamon de Valera ordered the bulk of the money to be left in New York when he returned to Ireland in late 1920. In 1927, as a result of legal action between the Irish Free State
government and de Valera, a court in New York ordered that the bond holders be paid back outstanding money due to them. However de Valera's legal team had anticipated the ruling and had prepared for the outcome. A number of circulars were sent to the bond holders asking them to sign over their holdings to de Valera. The bond holders were paid 58 cents to the dollar. This money was then used as start up capital to launch The Irish Press. Following the 1933 Irish General Election
de Valera used his Dáil majority to pass a measure allowing the bond holders to be paid the remaining 42 percent of the money still owed.
was prosecuted by an Irish Free State military tribunal for publishing articles alleging that Gardaí
had mistreated the opponents (Anti-Treaty republicans) of the Irish Free State government. This was facilitated by Amendment No. 17 of Constitution of the Irish Free State
and Gallagher was convicted and fined £50. An example of animosity from those who supported Independent Newspapers and the Free State government was that The Irish Press was excluded from the special train which delivered newspapers from Dublin to the countryside.
consistently throughout its life, expressing the "national outlook" in keeping with the thoughts and sentiments of his party supporters. The paper was aimed particularly at teachers and schools, with strong coverage of GAA games and the Irish language
. Cearbhaill O'Dalaigh was the first Irish language editor. The first editor was Frank Gallagher
, who fought alongside Éamon de Valera during the Irish War of Independence
. Its directors included Robert Barton
. Rival newspapers did not see themselves as allied to any political party, but the Press did attract talented writers.
Seán Lemass
was an early managing director. Major Vivion de Valera
, son of the founder, subsequently became managing director. De Valera was noted for courtesy amongst those running the business, which was considered well run. Shareholders came from both Ireland and the United States. It was many years before a dividend was paid. Douglas Gageby
worked on each of the press titles, The Irish Press, Evening Press
(as first editor) and Sunday Press
. Tim Pat Coogan
, who started working for the Evening Press, became editor of The Irish Press from 1968 until 1987. Derry
-born James Patrick (Jim) McGuinness, who was editor from 1953 until 1957, brought in journalists such as Benedict Kiely
, Seán White, and also Brendan Behan
as a columnist when White left over a dispute with management; White later became head of news at broadcaster RTÉ
.
Others who have written for The Irish Press include the broadcaster and journalist, Vincent Browne
, who was Northern Editor from 1970 to 1972; Damien Kiberd
who was business editor; his brother, Professor Declan Kiberd
, was a columnist with The Irish Press from 1987 to 1993; the Catholic and feminist campaigner and journalist Mary Kenny
; sports writer and founder of GOAL John O'Shea
; the novelist John Banville
was a sub-editor; T.P. O'Mahony (Religious Affairs Correspondent 1967-1989); Maire Comerford
; sports writer Micheal Carwood; Breandán Ó hEithir
(Irish Language editor 1957-1963); Dermot Walsh; Tom O'Dea (television critic 1965-1983); also the renowned sports writer Con Houlihan
.
In its early days, it was circulated throughout Ireland by a specially rented train because the rival Independent Newspapers would not rent space on its train to The Irish Press. It sustained itself with its own resources until the Sunday Press was founded in the 1940s. In its hey-day, The Irish Press had a number of first-rate reporters and columnists. One notable section, New Irish Writings was edited by David Marcus
.
, Conor Cruise O'Brien
, tried to use and amend The Emergency Powers Act and Section 31 of the Broadcasting Authority Act, to censor coverage of the Troubles
in the North of Ireland
. The Press editor, Tim Pat Coogan, published editorials attacking the Bill.
The Fine Gael/Labour Coalition Government tried to prosecute The Irish Press for its coverage of the maltreatment of republican prisoners by the Garda "Heavy Gang", with the paper winning the case.
. The Evening Press was aimed at an urban readership and achieved a daily circulation of 100,000. Terry O'Sullivan, the pen name of Tomas O'Faolain, father of writer and journalist Nuala O'Faolain
, was provided with a car and driver and wrote a social column. The new newspapers subsidised The Irish Press when its circulation sagged. Its adoption of a tabloid format did not rescue its declining circulation.
Formerly one of the main daily newspapers of the Ireland
, its business failure left the ground clear for its old rivals, The Irish Times
and the Irish Independent
, to dominate the daily market for some years until other competitors were introduced.
A relaunch in 1988 of the Irish Press as a tabloid did not help matters. In 1989, Ralph M. Ingersoll Jr. took a 50 percent stake in Irish Press Newspapers. Several efforts were made to relaunch the newspapers but these failed.
Independent Newspapers invested £1.1 million for a 24.9 percent stake in Irish Press Newspapers and had made loans of £2 million when the titles ceased publication. It recouped £1 million arising from a charge against a loan when the Irish Press office in Burgh Quay was sold in 1996.
The final editor from 1987 to 1995, Hugh Lambert
died after a short illness on 26 December 2005.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
national daily newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published by Irish Press plc between 5 September 1931 and 25 May 1995.
Foundation
The paper's first issue was published on the eve of the 1931 Kilkenny v Cork All Ireland HurlingHurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
Final; other newspapers did not cover GAA
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
sports in any detail at the time. Margaret Pearse
Margaret Pearse
Margaret Pearse was an Irish politician. She was born in County Meath and moved to Dublin, and in 1877 married James Pearse , a Dubliner who was originally from Birmingham. She was the mother of Patrick Pearse, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916, who was executed soon after the rising...
, the mother of Padraig and Willie Pearse
Willie Pearse
William "Willie" Pearse was an Irish republican executed for his part in the Easter Rising. He was a younger brother of Patrick Pearse, a leader of the rising.-Background:...
, pressed the button to start the printing presses. The initial aim of its publisher was to achieve a circulation of 100,000 which it quickly accomplished. It went on to list a subscribership of 200,000 at its peak. Irish Press Ltd. was officially registered on 4 September 1928, three years before the paper was first published, to create a newspaper independent of the existing media where the Independent Newspapers group was seen as supporting Cumann na nGaedheal/Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
, and The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
being pro-union, and with a mainly middle class or Protestant readership. The Irish Press founder Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
said the paper's objective was: "To give the truth in the news, that will be the chief aim of The Irish Press. The Irish Press will be a truthful journal and a good newspaper". The founders planned to produce an evening and Sunday edition of the paper if the daily was successful, and they did.
Initial financing
The money to launch The Irish Press was raised in the United States during the Irish War of IndependenceIrish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
by a bond drive to finance the First Dail
First Dáil
The First Dáil was Dáil Éireann as it convened from 1919–1921. In 1919 candidates who had been elected in the Westminster elections of 1918 refused to recognise the Parliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled as a unicameral, revolutionary parliament called "Dáil Éireann"...
. The amount raised was $5 million ($55 million adjusted for inflation as of 2011). However, 60 percent of this money was left in various banks in New York. Nobody has been able to explain why Éamon de Valera ordered the bulk of the money to be left in New York when he returned to Ireland in late 1920. In 1927, as a result of legal action between the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
government and de Valera, a court in New York ordered that the bond holders be paid back outstanding money due to them. However de Valera's legal team had anticipated the ruling and had prepared for the outcome. A number of circulars were sent to the bond holders asking them to sign over their holdings to de Valera. The bond holders were paid 58 cents to the dollar. This money was then used as start up capital to launch The Irish Press. Following the 1933 Irish General Election
Irish general election, 1933
The Irish general election of 1933 was held on 24 January 1933. The newly elected members of the 8th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 8 February when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of the Irish Free State were appointed....
de Valera used his Dáil majority to pass a measure allowing the bond holders to be paid the remaining 42 percent of the money still owed.
Censorship by Free State Government
In December 1931, the editor Frank GallagherFrank Gallagher (author)
Frank B. Gallagher was an Irish author and Volunteer.-Biography:A Cork native, initially London correspondent of William O'Brien's Cork Free Press, subsequently its final editor, though himself a separatist, personally admired O'Brien.The paper suffered closure in 1916 soon after the appointment...
was prosecuted by an Irish Free State military tribunal for publishing articles alleging that Gardaí
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
had mistreated the opponents (Anti-Treaty republicans) of the Irish Free State government. This was facilitated by Amendment No. 17 of Constitution of the Irish Free State
Constitution of the Irish Free State
The Constitution of the Irish Free State was the first constitution of the independent Irish state. It was enacted with the adoption of the Constitution of the Irish Free State Act 1922, of which it formed a part...
and Gallagher was convicted and fined £50. An example of animosity from those who supported Independent Newspapers and the Free State government was that The Irish Press was excluded from the special train which delivered newspapers from Dublin to the countryside.
Prominent personalities
The newspaper was controlled by Éamon de Valera and his family, and as a consequence, it supported Fianna FáilFianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
consistently throughout its life, expressing the "national outlook" in keeping with the thoughts and sentiments of his party supporters. The paper was aimed particularly at teachers and schools, with strong coverage of GAA games and the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
. Cearbhaill O'Dalaigh was the first Irish language editor. The first editor was Frank Gallagher
Frank Gallagher (author)
Frank B. Gallagher was an Irish author and Volunteer.-Biography:A Cork native, initially London correspondent of William O'Brien's Cork Free Press, subsequently its final editor, though himself a separatist, personally admired O'Brien.The paper suffered closure in 1916 soon after the appointment...
, who fought alongside Éamon de Valera during the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
. Its directors included Robert Barton
Robert Barton
Robert Childers Barton was an Irish lawyer, soldier, statesman and farmer who participated in the negotiations leading up to the signature of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. His father was Charles William Barton and his mother was Agnes Childers. His wife was Rachel Warren of Boston, daughter of Fiske...
. Rival newspapers did not see themselves as allied to any political party, but the Press did attract talented writers.
Seán Lemass
Seán Lemass
Seán Francis Lemass was one of the most prominent Irish politicians of the 20th century. He served as Taoiseach from 1959 until 1966....
was an early managing director. Major Vivion de Valera
Vivion de Valera
Vivion de Valera was an Irish scientist, businessman, lawyer and politician. He was the eldest child of the former Taoiseach and President, Éamon de Valera and Sinéad de Valera and was named after his paternal grandfather, Juan Vivion de Valera...
, son of the founder, subsequently became managing director. De Valera was noted for courtesy amongst those running the business, which was considered well run. Shareholders came from both Ireland and the United States. It was many years before a dividend was paid. Douglas Gageby
Douglas Gageby
Douglas Gageby was the pre-eminent Irish newspaper editor of his generation. His life is well documented and a book of essays about him, written by many of his colleagues who had attained fame for their literary achievements, was published in 2006 [Bright Brilliant Days: Douglas Gageby and the...
worked on each of the press titles, The Irish Press, Evening Press
Evening Press
The Evening Press was an Irish newspaper which was printed from 1954 until 1995. It was set up by Éamon de Valera's Irish Press group, and was originally edited by Douglas Gageby...
(as first editor) and Sunday Press
Sunday Press
The Sunday Press was a weekend tabloid newspaper printed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia from 1973 until 1989. It was Melbourne's second Sunday newspaper, the first being the Melbourne observer....
. Tim Pat Coogan
Tim Pat Coogan
Timothy Patrick Coogan is an Irish historical writer, broadcaster and newspaper columnist. He served as editor of the Irish Press newspaper from 1968 to 1987...
, who started working for the Evening Press, became editor of The Irish Press from 1968 until 1987. Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
-born James Patrick (Jim) McGuinness, who was editor from 1953 until 1957, brought in journalists such as Benedict Kiely
Benedict Kiely
Benedict "Ben" Kiely was an Irish author and broadcaster from Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland.-Early life:Benedict Kiely was born in Dromore, County Tyrone to Thomas John and Sara Alice Kiely. He was the youngest of six children, the others were Rita, Gerald, Eileen, Kathleen and Macartan; four of...
, Seán White, and also Brendan Behan
Brendan Behan
Brendan Francis Behan was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. He was also an Irish republican and a volunteer in the Irish Republican Army.-Early life:...
as a columnist when White left over a dispute with management; White later became head of news at broadcaster RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
.
Others who have written for The Irish Press include the broadcaster and journalist, Vincent Browne
Vincent Browne
Vincent Browne is an Irish print and broadcast journalist. He is a columnist with The Irish Times and The Sunday Business Post and a part time barrister....
, who was Northern Editor from 1970 to 1972; Damien Kiberd
Damien Kiberd
Damien Kiberd is a well-known Irish journalist and commentator. He was one of the four founders of and formerly the editor of The Sunday Business Post. He is also a former business editor of The Irish Press and of the Sunday Tribune. Kiberd has also worked more recently as a presenter of news...
who was business editor; his brother, Professor Declan Kiberd
Declan Kiberd
Declan Kiberd is an Irish writer and scholar. He is known for his literary criticism of Irish literature in Irish and English, and his contributions to public cultural life....
, was a columnist with The Irish Press from 1987 to 1993; the Catholic and feminist campaigner and journalist Mary Kenny
Mary Kenny
Mary Kenny is an Irish author, broadcaster, playwright and journalist. She was a founder member of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement, though she has modified her radical past, but not rejected feminist principles....
; sports writer and founder of GOAL John O'Shea
John O'Shea (humanitarian)
John O'Shea is founder and CEO of GOAL, an Irish non-governmental organization devoted to assisting the poorest of the poor. His first career was as a sports journalist and GOAL retains significant links to the sporting community, especially in Ireland.O'Shea was shortlisted in the top 40 of 2010...
; the novelist John Banville
John Banville
John Banville is an Irish novelist and screenwriter.Banville's breakthrough novel The Book of Evidence was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, and won the Guinness Peat Aviation award. His eighteenth novel, The Sea, won the Man Booker Prize in 2005. He was awarded the Franz Kafka Prize in 2011...
was a sub-editor; T.P. O'Mahony (Religious Affairs Correspondent 1967-1989); Maire Comerford
Maire Comerford
Máire Comerford was an Irish republican from County Wexford who witnessed central events in 1916-23 and remained a committed supporter of Cumann na mBan until her death.-Early career to 1916:...
; sports writer Micheal Carwood; Breandán Ó hEithir
Breandán Ó hÉithir
Breandán Ó hEithir was an Irish writer and broadcaster.He was born in Galway City, but grew up on Inishmore , County Galway. His parents were national school teachers and Ó hEithir attended their school in Kilronan. He received his secondary school education at Coláiste Éinde in Galway...
(Irish Language editor 1957-1963); Dermot Walsh; Tom O'Dea (television critic 1965-1983); also the renowned sports writer Con Houlihan
Con Houlihan
Con Houlihan is considered one of Ireland's finest sportswriters. Over a lengthy career, he has covered many of the greatest Irish and international sporting events, from classic Gaelic football and hurling finals, to soccer and rugby World Cups, the Olympics and numberless race meetings inside...
.
In its early days, it was circulated throughout Ireland by a specially rented train because the rival Independent Newspapers would not rent space on its train to The Irish Press. It sustained itself with its own resources until the Sunday Press was founded in the 1940s. In its hey-day, The Irish Press had a number of first-rate reporters and columnists. One notable section, New Irish Writings was edited by David Marcus
David Marcus
David Marcus was an Irish Jewish editor and writer who was a lifelong advocate and editor of Irish fiction.- Life and times :...
.
Section 31 and the Troubles
In the 1970s, the Minister for Posts and TelegraphsMinister for Posts and Telegraphs
The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs was a senior post in the government of the Irish Free State and the Republic of Ireland from 1924 to 1984, when the post and the department was abolished....
, Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish politician, writer, historian and academic. Although his opinion on the role of Britain in Northern Ireland changed over the course of the 1970s and 1980s, he always acknowledge values of, as he saw, the two irreconcilable traditions...
, tried to use and amend The Emergency Powers Act and Section 31 of the Broadcasting Authority Act, to censor coverage of the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in the North of 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...
. The Press editor, Tim Pat Coogan, published editorials attacking the Bill.
The Fine Gael/Labour Coalition Government tried to prosecute The Irish Press for its coverage of the maltreatment of republican prisoners by the Garda "Heavy Gang", with the paper winning the case.
Additional titles
Later, the Irish Press started two further newspapers, the Evening Press (1954), and the Sunday PressThe Sunday Press
The Sunday Press was a weekly newspaper published in Ireland from 1949 until 1995. It was launched by Éamon de Valera's Irish Press group following the defeat of his Fianna Fáil party in the Irish general election, 1948...
. The Evening Press was aimed at an urban readership and achieved a daily circulation of 100,000. Terry O'Sullivan, the pen name of Tomas O'Faolain, father of writer and journalist Nuala O'Faolain
Nuala O'Faolain
Nuala O'Faolain was an Irish journalist, TV producer, book reviewer, teacher and author. She became internationally well-known for her two volumes of memoir, Are You Somebody? and Almost There; a novel, My Dream of You; and a history with commentary, The Story of Chicago May...
, was provided with a car and driver and wrote a social column. The new newspapers subsidised The Irish Press when its circulation sagged. Its adoption of a tabloid format did not rescue its declining circulation.
Formerly one of the main daily newspapers of the 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,...
, its business failure left the ground clear for its old rivals, The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
and the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
, to dominate the daily market for some years until other competitors were introduced.
Final days
The final issue of the Irish Press and Evening Press was on Thursday, 25 May 1995. The newspapers closed because of a bizarre industrial dispute over the sacking of the Group Finance Editor. It is generally acknowledged that the newspapers had not been in a healthy financial state for several years. When it eventually closed, with indebtdeness of £20 million, 600 people lost their jobs.A relaunch in 1988 of the Irish Press as a tabloid did not help matters. In 1989, Ralph M. Ingersoll Jr. took a 50 percent stake in Irish Press Newspapers. Several efforts were made to relaunch the newspapers but these failed.
Independent Newspapers invested £1.1 million for a 24.9 percent stake in Irish Press Newspapers and had made loans of £2 million when the titles ceased publication. It recouped £1 million arising from a charge against a loan when the Irish Press office in Burgh Quay was sold in 1996.
The final editor from 1987 to 1995, Hugh Lambert
Hugh Lambert
Hugh Lambert was an Irish journalist.He began his career with the Evening Press and Sunday Press in 1962 as sub-editor. From 1971 to 1980, he was a film critic for the Sunday Press, when he became production editor of the paper. He was appointed editor of The Irish Press in 1987. The paper ceased...
died after a short illness on 26 December 2005.