|About Us
Background
As a regional morning newspaper, the Irish News enjoys a unique reputation for the quality delivery of news to our readers in Northern Ireland and beyond.
Delivering local, regional and national news from the readers’ viewpoint.
Local, National and International sport, the number one source of Gaelic Sports coverage in Northern Ireland
The Paper is independently owned and speaks independently. Within Northern Ireland the title sells mainly to the nationalist community, but is recognised as a quality newspaper that reflects the full range of life in Ireland today.
A varied team of columnists and contributors from across the entire political and social spectrum express their views through the Irish News each day.
The paper is involved in reconciliation work between the communities in Northern Ireland and has been honoured for its outstanding contribution to the newspaper industry. The Irish News impartiality and balance have been singled out for special mention.
The newspaper is available throughout Ireland, the online edition is available to the world at 9.00am G.M.T. on each publication day.
Publication Days: Monday to Saturday. No publication on 25th of December.
History
The Irish News in was founded in 1891 as a direct result of the involvement of Charles Stewart Parnell - one of the great figures in Irish nationalism - in a celebrated divorce scandal.
But the origins of the title lie 36 years earlier. In 1855 the Read brothers launched the Belfast Morning News as Ireland's first penny newsheet. The Morning News first appeared on 2nd July 1855 in a highly competitive market.
In 1890 Charles Stewart Parnell's affair with Kitty O'Shea became public knowledge.
Parnell led the Irish nationalist campaigners, but the ensuing divorce scandal split the nationalist camp into pro- and anti-Parnell factions.
The Belfast Morning News remained loyal to Parnell and the Irish News was launched on an anti-Parnell platform on 15th August 1891.
The anti-Parnell view prevailed and within a year the Irish News had taken over its failing rival.
Today the Irish News is the only independently owned daily newspaper in the north of Ireland.
Bringing events more up-to-date, the paper saw a dramatic growth in its circulation, with the beginning of “The Troubles” in 1968, peaking around the time of internment in 1971.
Most newspapers were slow to recognise that this would be only a short–term situation, and coupled with major changes in how radio and television news was presented, the decline began almost as rapidly as it had begun.
In June of 1982, the paper came under total control of the company’s present owners, and the fortunes of the paper began to change dramatically.
This improvement was not only recognised by the reading and buying public, but also by the business community, and within a very short space of time, not only sales and readership increased, but also advertising revenue.
The Irish News now takes its' place among the finest newspapers in these islands.
www.irishnews.com
The Irish News online www.irishnews.com is a natural point of reference for all people searching for news, sport and information about ireland aimed at Irish people, people of Irish descent and anyone interested in Ireland, particularly Northern Ireland.
On February 1st 2002 irishnews.com became the first major regional or national newspaper in Ireland or Britain to introduce personal and corporate subscription charges for access to the site.
While the homepage and front page of the major sections are free to read stories in full an annual subscription of £65 - is required. Not only does this allow unlimited access to our archives going back to 1995, but means every page of every edition since 01/02/2002 is available to you as a downloadable PDF.
We welcome any comments - positive or negative - you may have about our site so please send these to internet@irishnews.com
Any comments regarding the print edition should be directed to the editor, Noel Doran at n.doran@irishnews.com
For further information contact:
Ruairí ONeill
Web Designer
r.oneill@irishnews.com
