''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a
newspaper of record
A newspaper of record is a major national newspaper with large circulation whose editorial and news-gathering functions are considered authoritative and independent; they are thus "newspapers of record by reputation" and include some of the o ...
for Ireland.
Though formed as a
Protestant nationalist
Protestant Irish Nationalists are adherents of Protestantism in Ireland who also support Irish nationalism. Protestants have played a large role in the development of Irish nationalism since the eighteenth century, despite most Irish nationa ...
paper, within two decades and under new owners it had become the voice of British unionism in Ireland. It is no longer a pro unionist paper; it presents itself politically as "liberal and
progressive
Progressive may refer to:
Politics
* Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform
** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context
* Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...
", as well as being centre-right on economic issues. The editorship of the newspaper from 1859 until 1986 was controlled by the
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish people () denotes an ethnic, social and religious grouping who are mostly the descendants and successors of the English Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. They mostly belong to the Anglican Church of Ireland, which was the establis ...
Protestant minority, only gaining its first nominal
Irish Catholic
Irish Catholics are an ethnoreligious group native to Ireland whose members are both Catholic and Irish. They have a large diaspora, which includes over 36 million American citizens and over 14 million British citizens (a quarter of the British ...
editor 127 years into its existence.
The paper's most prominent columnists include writer and arts commentator
Fintan O'Toole
Fintan O'Toole (born 16 February 1958) is a polemicist, literary editor, journalist and drama critic for ''The Irish Times'', for which he has written since 1988. O'Toole was drama critic for the ''New York Daily News'' from 1997 to 2001 and is ...
and
satirist
This is an incomplete list of writers, cartoonists and others known for involvement in satire – humorous social criticism. They are grouped by era and listed by year of birth. Included is a list of modern satires.
Under Contemporary, 1930-1960 ...
Miriam Lord
Miriam Lord (born 1962) is an Irish journalist and political sketch writer employed by ''The Irish Times'' newspaper. Her work for the paper includes daily coverage of major political matters through her '' Dáil Sketch'', and ''Miriam Lord's We ...
. The late
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...
Garret FitzGerald
Garret Desmond FitzGerald (9 February 192619 May 2011) was an Irish Fine Gael politician, economist and barrister who served twice as Taoiseach, serving from 1981 to 1982 and 1982 to 1987. He served as Leader of Fine Gael from 1977 to 1987, and ...
was once a columnist. Senior international figures, including
Tony Blair
Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...
and
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
, have written for its
op-ed
An op-ed, short for "opposite the editorial page", is a written prose piece, typically published by a North-American newspaper or magazine, which expresses the opinion of an author usually not affiliated with the publication's editorial board. O ...
page. Its most prominent columns have included the political column ''Backbencher'', by John Healy, ''Drapier'' (an anonymous piece produced weekly by a politician, giving the 'insider' view of politics), ''Rite and Reason'' (a weekly religious column, edited by
Patsy McGarry
Patsy McGarry is the Religious Affairs correspondent with ''The Irish Times''. He succeeded Andy Pollak as editor in the mid-1990s. He also is the commissioning editor for articles which are published in the paper's '' Rite and Reason'' column eve ...
, the religious affairs editor) and the long-running ''An Irishman's Diary''. ''An Irishman's Diary'' was written by Patrick Campbell in the forties (under the pseudonym "Quidnunc"); by Seamus Kelly from 1949 to 1979 (also writing as "Quidnunc"); and more recently by
Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers (born 30 March 1947) is an English-born Irish journalist and writer. He has contributed to the ''Irish Independent'', the Irish edition of ''The Sunday Times'', and ''The Irish Times''s column "An Irishman's Diary".
Myers is kno ...
. After Myers' move to the rival ''
Irish Independent
The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper and online publication which is owned by Independent News & Media (INM), a subsidiary of Mediahuis.
The newspaper version often includes glossy magazines.
Traditionally a broadsheet new ...
'', ''An Irishman's Diary'' has usually been the work of Frank McNally. On the sports pages,
Philip Reid
Philip Reed also Philip Reid (''c.'' 1820 – February 6, 1892) was an African American master craftsman who worked at the foundries of self-taught sculptor Clark Mills (sculptor), Clark Mills, where historical monuments such as the 1853 ''Eque ...
is the paper's golf correspondent.
One of its most popular columns was the biting and humorous ''Cruiskeen Lawn'' satire column written, originally in
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, later in English, by
Myles na gCopaleen
Brian O'Nolan ( ga, Brian Ó Nualláin; 5 October 1911 – 1 April 1966), better known by his pen name Flann O'Brien, was an Irish civil service official, novelist, playwright and satirist, who is now considered a major figure in twentieth cen ...
, the pen name of Brian O'Nolan (Brian Ó Nualláin) who also wrote books using the name
Flann O'Brien
Brian O'Nolan ( ga, Brian Ó Nualláin; 5 October 1911 – 1 April 1966), better known by his pen name Flann O'Brien, was an Irish civil service official, novelist, playwright and satirist, who is now considered a major figure in twentieth cen ...
. ''Cruiskeen Lawn'' is an
anglicised
Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...
spelling of the Irish words ''crúiscín lán'', meaning 'little full jug'. ''Cruiskeen Lawn'' made its debut in October 1940, and appeared with varying regularity until O'Nolan's death in 1966.
History
Origins
The first appearance of a newspaper using the name ''The Irish Times'' occurred in 1823, but this closed in 1825. The title was revived—initially as a thrice-weekly publication but soon becoming a daily—by a 22-year-old army officer, Lawrence E. Knox (later known as Major Lawrence Knox), with the first edition being published on 29 March 1859. It was founded as a moderate Protestant newspaper, reflecting the politics of Knox, who envisaged it as a "new conservative daily newspaper". Its headquarters were at 4 Lower Abbey Street in Dublin. Its main competitor in its early days was the Dublin ''
Daily Express
The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first published as a broadsheet i ...
''.
The Arnotts
After Knox's death in 1873, the paper was sold to the widow of Sir
John Arnott
Sir John Arnott, 1st Baronet JP (26 July 1814 – 28 March 1898) was a Scottish-Irish entrepreneur and a major figure in the commercial and political spheres of late-19th century Cork. He was also founder of the Arnotts department chain.
Backg ...
, a
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP), a former
Lord Mayor of Cork
The Lord Mayor of Cork ( ga, Ard-Mhéara Chathair Chorcaí) is the honorific title of the Chairperson ( ga, Cathaoirleach) of Cork City Council which is the local government body for the city of Cork (city), Cork in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. ...
and owner of
Arnotts Arnotts can refer to;
* Arnott's Biscuits, an Australian biscuit and salted snack food company
* Arnotts (Ireland), a department store in Dublin, Ireland
* Arnotts (Scotland)
Arnotts was a department store in Glasgow, Scotland. It became part o ...
, one of
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
's major
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic app ...
s. The sale, for £35,000, led to two major changes. Its headquarters was shifted to 31 Westmoreland Street, remaining in buildings on or near that site until 2005. Its politics also shifted dramatically, becoming predominantly Unionist in outlook, and it was closely associated with the
Irish Unionist Alliance
The Irish Unionist Alliance (IUA), also known as the Irish Unionist Party, Irish Unionists or simply the Unionists, was a unionist political party founded in Ireland in 1891 from a merger of the Irish Conservative Party and the Irish Loyal and ...
. The paper, along with the ''
Irish Independent
The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper and online publication which is owned by Independent News & Media (INM), a subsidiary of Mediahuis.
The newspaper version often includes glossy magazines.
Traditionally a broadsheet new ...
'' and various regional papers, called for the execution of the leaders of the failed
1916 Easter Rising
The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...
.
Though the paper became a publicly listed company in 1900, the family continued to hold a majority shareholding until the 1960s (even after the family lost control, the great-grandson of the original purchaser was the paper's London editor). The last member of the Arnott family to sit on the paper's board was Sir Lauriston Arnott, who died in 1958.
The editor during the 1930s,
R. M. Smyllie
R. or r. may refer to:
* ''Reign'', the period of time during which an Emperor, king, queen, etc., is ruler.
* '' Rex'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning King
* ''Regina'', abbreviated as R., the Latin word meaning Queen
* or , abbreviat ...
, had strong
anti-fascist
Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...
views, and angered the Irish Catholic hierarchy by opposing
General Franco
Francisco Franco Bahamonde (; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general who led the Nationalist forces in overthrowing the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War and thereafter ruled over Spain from 193 ...
during the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
. During World War II, ''The Irish Times'', like other national newspapers, had problems with Irish Government censorship. The Times was largely pro-
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
and was opposed to the
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera (, ; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera; 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was a prominent Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of governm ...
In 1974, ownership was transferred to a non-charitable trust, The Irish Times Trust. The former owner, Major Thomas McDowell, was made "president for life" of the trust which runs the paper and was paid a large dividend. However several years later the articles of the Trust were adjusted, giving Major McDowell 10 preference shares and one more vote than the combined votes of all the other directors should any move be made to remove him. Major McDowell died in 2009.
The Trust was set up in 1974 as "a company limited by guarantee" to purchase The Irish Times Limited and to ensure that ''The Irish Times'' would be published as an independent newspaper with specific editorial objectives. (See below).
The Trust is regulated by a legal document, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and controlled by a body of people (the Governors) under company law. It is not a charity and does not have charitable status. It has no beneficial shareholders and it cannot pay dividends. Any profits made by ''The Irish Times'' cannot be distributed to the Trust but must be used to strengthen the newspaper, directly or indirectly.
The Trust is composed of a maximum of 11 Governors. The Trust appoints Governors who are required to be "representative broadly of the community throughout the whole of Ireland".
As of June 2012, Ruth Barrington is the chair of the trust, and the governors are Tom Arnold, David Begg, Noel Dorr, Margaret Elliott, Rosemary Kelly, Eoin O'Driscoll, Fergus O'Ferrall, Judith Woodworth, Barry Smyth, and Caitriona Murphy.
In 2015, ''The Irish Times Trust Limited'' joined as a member organization of the
European Press Prize
The European Press Prize is an award programme for excellence in journalism across all 47 countries of Europe. It was founded in 2012 by seven European media foundations: The Guardian Foundation, Thomson Reuters Foundation, Jyllands-Posten Found ...
.
Recent history
In 1969, the longest-serving editor of ''The Irish Times'',
Douglas Gageby
(Robert John) Douglas Gageby (29 September 1918 – 24 June 2004) was one of the pre-eminent Irish newspaper editors of his generation. His life is well documented and a book of essays about him, written by many of his colleagues, some of whom had ...
, was allegedly called a "white nigger" by company chairman
Thomas Bleakley McDowell
Thomas Bleakley McDowell often called T. B. McDowell, or simply "the Major", (18 May 1923 – 9 September 2009) was a British Army officer and subsequently chief executive of ''The Irish Times'' for nearly 40 years.
Early life
Born in Belfast in ...
, because of the newspaper's coverage of
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
at the outset of
the Troubles
The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...
, which was supportive of Irish nationalism.
The paper established its first bureau in Asia when foreign correspondent
Conor O'Clery
Conor O'Clery is an Irish journalist and writer.
Background
Born in Belfast, Conor O'Clery graduated from Queen's University Belfast in 1972. He was deputy editor of The Gown, the QUB student newspaper.
Career
O'Clery worked for ''The Irish ...
moved to Beijing in 1996.
The paper suffered considerable financial difficulty in 2002 when a drop in advertising revenue coincided with a decision by the company to invest its reserves in the building of a new printing plant. None of the journalists were laid off, but many took a voluntary redundancy package when the paper was greatly restructured. Some foreign bureaux were closed and it also stopped publishing "colour" pages devoted to Irish regions, with regional coverage now merged with news. The paper's problems stemmed partly from internal strife which led to McDowells's daughter, Karen Erwin, not being made chief executive. The reorganisation had the desired effect; after posting losses of almost €3 million in 2002, the paper returned to profit in 2003.
John Waters
John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his Cinema of Transgression, transgressive cult films, including ''Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), ''Pink Flamin ...
, a columnist who spoke out about the perceived vast salaries of the editor, managing director and deputy editor, was sacked and re-hired a week later, in November 2003. Former editor
Geraldine Kennedy
Geraldine Kennedy (born 1 September 1951) is an Irish journalist and politician who served as the first female editor of ''The Irish Times'' newspaper. She previously served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 1987 t ...
was paid more than the editor of the UK's top non-tabloid newspaper ''The Daily Telegraph'', which has a circulation of about nine times that of ''The Irish Times''. Later, columnist
Fintan O'Toole
Fintan O'Toole (born 16 February 1958) is a polemicist, literary editor, journalist and drama critic for ''The Irish Times'', for which he has written since 1988. O'Toole was drama critic for the ''New York Daily News'' from 1997 to 2001 and is ...
told the '' Sunday Independent'': "We as a paper are not shy of preaching about corporate pay and fat cats but with this there is a sense of excess. Some of the sums mentioned are disturbing. This is not an attack on Ms Kennedy, it is an attack on the executive level of pay. There is double-standard of seeking more job cuts while paying these vast salaries.
On 23 December 2004, ''The Irish Times'' ran a front-page story on the
Provisional IRA
The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republicanism, Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, fa ...
's denial of involvement in the Northern Bank robbery, one of Europe's largest ever, and on the same day refused to print a column by
Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers (born 30 March 1947) is an English-born Irish journalist and writer. He has contributed to the ''Irish Independent'', the Irish edition of ''The Sunday Times'', and ''The Irish Times''s column "An Irishman's Diary".
Myers is kno ...
which said that the Provisional IRA was responsible. Myers was reported to be shocked by the spiking of his column. Some two weeks later, the paper printed a report that there might, after all, be a "nationalist" connection. Myers later left the paper.
The following May, the paper launched a new international edition, which was available in London and southeast England at the same time as other daily newspapers (previously, copies of the Irish edition were flown from Dublin to major cities in Britain on passenger flights, arriving around lunchtime). It was printed at the Newsfax plant in Hackney, and uses the ''
Financial Times
The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...
'' distribution network.
The Irish Times tended to support the
Lisbon Treaty
The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as the Reform Treaty) is an international agreement that amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by the EU member sta ...
. However, opposing views were also printed, including articles by
Declan Ganley
Declan James Ganley (born 23 July 1968) is an English-born Irish entrepreneur, businessman, and political activist. He was the founder and leader of the Irish branch of the Libertas Party.
Primarily a telecommunications entrepreneur, Ganley has ...
Central Bank of Ireland
The Central Bank of Ireland ( ga, Banc Ceannais na hÉireann) is Ireland's central bank, and as such part of the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). It is the country's financial services regulator for most categories of financial firms ...
fined ''The Irish Times'' in 2008 after it admitted breaking market abuse rules.
In 2009, the Supreme Court ordered the paper to pay €600,000 in costs despite winning its case about the importance of protecting journalistic sources, and called its destruction of evidence "reprehensible conduct".
The newspaper has been criticized for its perceived support of the British Army. An article in '' The Phoenix'' magazine examined an article in ''The Irish Times'' published in August 2010 on Irish nationals serving in the British Army. According to ''The Phoenix'', the article romanticized the war in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and was little more than a recruitment advertisement for the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
. The magazine accused the editor
Geraldine Kennedy
Geraldine Kennedy (born 1 September 1951) is an Irish journalist and politician who served as the first female editor of ''The Irish Times'' newspaper. She previously served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 1987 t ...
and the Irish Times board of violating the Defence Act which prohibits any kind of advertising for recruitment for a foreign army and article 15.6.1 of the
Constitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland ( ga, Bunreacht na hÉireann, ) is the constitution, fundamental law of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It asserts the national sovereignty of the Irish people. The constitution, based on a system of representative democra ...
which states "The right to raise and maintain military or armed forces is vested exclusively in the Oireachtas".
On 9 September 2011, the paper published a pseudonymous article by Kate Fitzgerald. Unknown to the paper, she had taken her life on 22 August 2011. The revelation sparked a nationwide debate on suicide with her parents appearing on television to discuss suicide and depression. The article criticised the reaction to her illness by her employer, The Communications Clinic, although it was only after she was identified as the author that her employer became known. The article was later removed from the paper's website, causing controversy online. The editor later told her parents that sections of her article were factually incorrect, but could not say which ones. Kate's parents complained to the Office of the Press Ombudsman about an apology made to The Communications Clinic, their complaint was upheld.
In September 2019, the paper reprinted an article from the ''
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' by
William Broad
William J. Broad (born March 7, 1951) is an American science journalist, author and a Senior Writer at ''The New York Times''.
Education
Broad earned a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1977.5G ifth generation wireless technology'can be traced to a single scientist and a single chart'". A complaint to the Office of the Press Ombudsman of the Press Council of Ireland was filed by Professor Tom Butler of the
University College Cork
University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork.
The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...
. The Press Council Ombudsman upheld Butler's complaint, ruling that "''The Irish Times'' breached Principle 1 (Truth and Accuracy) of the Code of Practice of the Press Council of Ireland".
Diversification
The company has diversified from its original ''Irish Times'' title as a source of revenue. Irish Times Limited has taken a majority share for €5m in the Gazette Group Newspapers, a group publishing three local newspapers in West Dublin, and has acquired a property website, MyHome.ie, the second-largest property internet website in Ireland, for €50m, seen as insurance against the loss of revenue from traditional classified property advertising. In June 2009, journalists called on the board and trust to review "the flawed investment and diversification strategy of the company" and passed a motion saying that "ongoing investment in loss-making projects poses a serious threat to employment" at the newspaper. Four months later, the company announced a loss of €37 million and that 90 staff would be made redundant. The director, Maeve Donovan, who instigated the "investment and diversification" strategy, subsequently retired. She dismissed suggestions that she would receive a significant "golden handshake", saying that her package would be "nothing out of the ordinary at all". She was given a €1m "ex-gratia" payment by the newspaper "relating to a commutation of pension rights agreed with her".
The managing director said in 2009 that mobile phone applications would be a key investment for newspapers and ''The Irish Times'' now has an application for the iPhone and Android smartphones.
In June 2010, Gazette group newspapers' managing director claimed the company's affairs were being conducted oppressively by its majority shareholder, the Irish Times.
Offices
In 1895, the paper moved from its original offices on Middle Abbey Street to
D'Olier Street
D'Olier Street ( ) is a street in the southern city-centre of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. It and Westmoreland Street are two broad streets whose northern ends meet at the southern end of O'Connell Bridge over the River Liffey. Its southern e ...
in the centre of Dublin. "D'Olier Street" became a
metonym
Metonymy () is a figure of speech in which a concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept.
Etymology
The words ''metonymy'' and ''metonym'' come from grc, μετωνυμία, 'a change of name' ...
of ''The Irish Times'' which in turn was personified as "The Old Lady of D'Olier Street". In October 2006, the paper relocated to a new building on nearby
Tara Street
Tara Street is a major traffic route in Dublin, Ireland, partly due to the current one-way traffic flow in the city centre.
.
Online
In 1994, ''The Irish Times'' established a website called Irish-times.ie; it was the first newspaper in Ireland and one of the first 30 newspapers in the world to do so. The company acquired the
domain name
A domain name is a string that identifies a realm of administrative autonomy, authority or control within the Internet. Domain names are often used to identify services provided through the Internet, such as websites, email services and more. As ...
''Ireland.com'' in 1997, and from 1999 to 2008, used it to publish its online edition. It was freely available at first but charges and a registration fee were introduced in 2002 for access to most of the content. A number of blogs were added in April 2007 written by
Jim Carroll
James Dennis Carroll (August 1, 1949 – September 11, 2009) was an American author, poet, autobiographer, and punk musician. Carroll was best known for his 1978 autobiographical work '' The Basketball Diaries'', which inspired a 1995 film of ...
, Shane Hegarty, and
Conor Pope
Conor Pope (born 3 August 1968) is an Irish journalist, author and broadcaster who works for ''The Irish Times'' as well as appearing on radio and television as a consumer advocate.
Pope is the consumer affairs correspondent with the Times and ...
. On 30 June 2008, the company relaunched Ireland.com as a separate lifestyle portal and the online edition of the newspaper was now published at irishtimes.com. It was supplied free of charge, but a subscription was charged to view its archives.
On 15 October 2012 John O'Shea, Head of Online, ''The Irish Times'', announced that the ireland.com domain name had been sold to Tourism Ireland, and that the ireland.com email service would end on 7 November 2012. The domain name was sold for €495,000. The ending of the email service affected about 15,000 subscribers.
The newspaper announced on 17 February 2015 the reintroduction of a
paywall
A paywall is a method of restricting access to content, with a purchase or a paid subscription, especially news. Beginning in the mid-2010s, newspapers started implementing paywalls on their websites as a way to increase revenue after years of ...
for its website, ''irishtimes.com'', beginning on 23 February.
Format and content
The paper has the same standard layout every day. The front page contains one main picture and three main news stories, with the left-hand column, News Digest, providing a "teaser" of some of the stories inside the Home News, World News, Sport and Business Today sections as well as other information such as winning lottery numbers and weather forecasts. Inside, it usually contains eight to twelve pages of Irish news, called "Home News", covering the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...
and
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
. It devotes several pages to important stories such as the publication of government reports, government budgets, important courts cases, and so on.
World News contains news from its correspondents abroad and from news wires and services such as Reuters, the Guardian Service, and the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post service. The paper has correspondents in London, Paris, Brussels, and Washington.
''The Irish Times'' publishes its residential property supplement every Thursday, one of the printed residential property listings for the Dublin area. This is also online. Motoring and employment supplements are published on Wednesday and Friday respectively, and are also online.
A business supplement is published every Friday, as is an entertainment supplement called ''The Ticket'', with film, music, theatre reviews, interviews, articles, and media listings. It features cinema writer Donald Clarke and music writers Jim Carroll, Brian Boyd, Tony Clayton-Lea and others.
Michael Dwyer
Michael Dwyer (1772–1825) was an insurgent captain in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, leading the United Irish forces in battles in Wexford and Wicklow., Following the defeat and dispersal of the rebel hosts, in July 1798 Dwyer withdrew into ...
, the distinguished film critic and recipient of the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, wrote for the supplement until his death in 2010.
On Saturdays, a Weekend section is published, with news features, arts profiles, television and radio columns, and book reviews of mainly literary and biographical works, with occasional reviews in the technology sector. The Saturday edition also includes the Magazine with consumer and lifestyle features on food, wine, gardening, and there are travel and sports supplements.
Three
Sudoku
Sudoku (; ja, 数独, sūdoku, digit-single; originally called Number Place) is a logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzle. In classic Sudoku, the objective is to fill a 9 × 9 grid with digits so that each column, each row ...
puzzles and two crosswords are published daily including a
cryptic crossword
A cryptic crossword is a crossword puzzle in which each clue is a word puzzle. Cryptic crosswords are particularly popular in the United Kingdom, where they originated, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands, and in several Commonwealth nations, includi ...
, formerly compiled by "
Crosaire
John Derek Crozier (12 November 1917 – 3 April 2010), under the pseudonym "Crosaire" (), was the compiler of the cryptic crossword in ''The Irish Times'' from its inception in 1943 until the year after his death. It was formally named "The Iri ...
", and a "Simplex" crossword. There is also a letters page.
J.J. Walsh has contributed a chess puzzle to the paper since April 1955, originally weekly the puzzle became a daily fixture in September 1972.
The paper carries political cartoons by
Martyn Turner
Martyn Turner (born 1948) is an English-born Irish political cartoonist, caricaturist and writer, working for the Irish Times since 1971. His cartoons appear four times a week in the newspaper, parodying current events.
Life Early life and educ ...
and the American cartoon strip,
Doonesbury
''Doonesbury'' is a comic strip by American cartoonist Garry Trudeau that chronicles the adventures and lives of an array of characters of various ages, professions, and backgrounds, from the President of the United States
The president ...
. The business section has a satirical illustration by David Rooney every Friday.
Tom Mathews
Tom or TOM may refer to:
* Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name)
Characters
* Tom Anderson, a character in ''List of Beavis and Butt-Head characters#Local r ...
contributes an arts-inspired cartoon (called "Artoon") to the arts section on Saturday.
A weekly Irish language page is carried on Wednesdays.
Purchase of ''Irish Examiner'' and other assets
In December 2017, it was reported that ''The Irish Times'' had reached an agreement to purchase the newspaper, radio and website interests of
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
which include the ''
Irish Examiner
The ''Irish Examiner'', formerly ''The Cork Examiner'' and then ''The Examiner'', is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country. ...
''. Initially subject to regulatory approval, the sale was completed in July 2018.
2018 redundancies
In September 2018, ''The Irish Times'' started a voluntary redundancy scheme. This followed the
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
acquisition.
Print circulation
Average
print circulation
Print circulation is the average number of copies of a publication. The number of copies of a non-periodical publication (such as a book) are usually called print run. Circulation is not always the same as copies sold, often called paid circulat ...
was approximately 100,000 copies per issue in 2011, dropping to approximately 62,000 by 2017. The circulation of the newspaper is no longer audited.
Digital Irish Times circulation
ABC measure digital circulation based on paid for digital subscriptions that include an ePaper in the package. This means that the free student edition and the basic package, which does not include an ePaper, are excluded from the below statistics.
Newspapers owned by The Irish Times DAC
* ''The Irish Times''
* ''
Irish Examiner
The ''Irish Examiner'', formerly ''The Cork Examiner'' and then ''The Examiner'', is an Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork, though it is available throughout the country. ...
'' (acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
* ''
Roscommon Herald
Below is a list of newspapers published in Ireland.
National titles – currently published – English language
Daily national newspapers
:
Sunday national newspapers
:
Regional titles – currently published – English language
Carlow
...
'' (acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
* ''
Western People
The ''Western People'' is a weekly local newspaper published in Ballina, County Mayo in the Republic of Ireland. It was first published in 1883.
The newspaper was part of the Thomas Crosbie Holdings group. Thomas Crosbie Holdings went into rec ...
'' (acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
* ''
Waterford News & Star
The ''Waterford News & Star'' is a local newspaper based in the Irish city of Waterford, first published as the ''Waterford Star'' in 1848.
In December 2007, it changed from a broadsheet to a tabloid. ''The Waterford News & Star'' in 2010/11 m ...
'' (acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
* ''Kildare Nationalist'' (acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
* ''Laois Nationalist'' (acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
The Irish Times DAC investments ownership
Magazine
* Gloss Magazine (50% stake via Gloss Publications )
Radio
*
Beat 102-103
Beat 102 103 is an independent regional radio station in the Republic of Ireland licensed by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland covering counties Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Tipperary in South East Ireland. It began broadcas ...
(acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
*
WLR FM
WLR FM, or more commonly WLR (Waterford Local Radio) is the local radio station covering Waterford City and County, Ireland. It is Ireland's Local Station of the Year 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022. In addition to the official franchise area, the stat ...
(acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
Digital
* RecruitIreland.com (acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
* BreakingNews.ie (acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
)
* BenchWarmers.ie (acquired from
Landmark Media Investments
Landmark Media Investments was a media holding company owned by Tom Crosbie and his father Ted Crosbie with Irish newspaper, radio and digital investments. Their ownership was via Rinvery Ltd. Landmark Media Investments was established in Februar ...
) (Sold to Rocket Sports Internet)
* Myhome.ie (acquired from Sherry FitzGerald, the Gunne Group and Douglas Newman Good)
Regular columns include:
* ''An Irishman's Diary''
* ''Another Life'' is a weekly natural history column written and illustrated since 1977 by
Michael Viney
Michael Viney MRIA (born 1933) is an artist, author, broadcaster, and journalist, based in Ireland. He was born in Brighton, England. Best known for his writings on nature, he has contributed to ''The Irish Times'' since 1962.
Career
In the 19 ...
.
* ''Rite and Reason'' is a weekly religious column. It is edited by the religious editor,
Patsy McGarry
Patsy McGarry is the Religious Affairs correspondent with ''The Irish Times''. He succeeded Andy Pollak as editor in the mid-1990s. He also is the commissioning editor for articles which are published in the paper's '' Rite and Reason'' column eve ...
. Many prominent
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
and
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...
bishops, Irish Jewish leaders, theologians from all faiths, and journalists, among others, have written the column which is published on the op-ed page on Mondays.
* ''
Social and Personal
''Social and Personal'' is a long-running column in ''The Irish Times''. Previously called ''Court and Personal'' it originally published the Court Circulars of the British Royal Family, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and brief society report ...
''
Editors
# Dr.
George Ferdinand Shaw
George Ferdinand Shaw (1821 – 19 June 1899) was an Irish academic and journalist who is best remembered as the first editor of ''The Irish Times''.
Life
Shaw was born in Dublin in 1821, to William and Elizabeth Shaw, and baptized in St. Mary's ...
(1859)
# Rev. George Bomford Wheeler (1859–1877)
# James Scott (1877–1899)
# William Algernon Locker (1901–1907)
#
John Edward Healy
John Edward Healy (1872–1934) was an Irish journalist and barrister and was editor of The Irish Times from 1907 until 1934. The 27 years as editor is the longest for that position at the paper.
Douglas Gageby
(Robert John) Douglas Gageby (29 September 1918 – 24 June 2004) was one of the pre-eminent Irish newspaper editors of his generation. His life is well documented and a book of essays about him, written by many of his colleagues, some of whom had ...
(1963–1974 and 1977–1986)
# Fergus Pyle (1974–1977)
#
Conor Brady
Conor Brady is an Irish journalist, novelist and academic. He was the editor of ''The Irish Times'' between 1986 and 2002.
Early life
Brady was born in Dublin and spent his early childhood in Tullamore in County Offaly, Ireland. He received hi ...
(1986–2002)
#
Geraldine Kennedy
Geraldine Kennedy (born 1 September 1951) is an Irish journalist and politician who served as the first female editor of ''The Irish Times'' newspaper. She previously served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency from 1987 t ...
John Banville
William John Banville (born 8 December 1945) is an Irish novelist, short story writer, adapter of dramas and screenwriter. Though he has been described as "the heir to Proust, via Nabokov", Banville himself maintains that W. B. Yeats and Henry J ...
*
Brendan Behan
Brendan Francis Aidan Behan (christened Francis Behan) ( ; ga, Breandán Ó Beacháin; 9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and Irish Republican activist who wrote in both English an ...
*
Maeve Binchy
Anne Maeve Binchy Snell (28 May 1939Born 1939 as per biography, ''Maeve Binchy'' by Piers Dudgeon, Thomas Dunne Books 2013; (hardcover), pp. 4, 280, 302; (ebook) – 30 July 2012) was an Irish novelist, playwright, short story writer, columni ...
*
Vincent Browne
Vincent Browne (born 17 July 1944) is an Irish print and broadcast journalist. He is a columnist with ''The Irish Times'' and ''The Sunday Business Post'' and a non-practising barrister. From 1996 until 2007, he presented a nightly talk-show ...
*
Tom Clonan
Thomas Martin Clonan is an Irish senator, security analyst, author and retired Irish Army Captain. He was elected to Seanad Eireann in March 2022 in the 2022 Dublin University by-election.
Military career
Clonan grew up in Finglas, Dublin an ...
*
Myles na gCopaleen
Brian O'Nolan ( ga, Brian Ó Nualláin; 5 October 1911 – 1 April 1966), better known by his pen name Flann O'Brien, was an Irish civil service official, novelist, playwright and satirist, who is now considered a major figure in twentieth cen ...
*
Cónal Creedon
Cónal Creedon is an Irish novelist, dramatist, playwright and documentary filmmaker.
Published books
Creedon has written a number of novel-length works.
* ''Pancho and Lefty Ride Out ''(Collins Press 1995)
* ''Passion Play ''(Poolbeg Press 1 ...
*
Garret FitzGerald
Garret Desmond FitzGerald (9 February 192619 May 2011) was an Irish Fine Gael politician, economist and barrister who served twice as Taoiseach, serving from 1981 to 1982 and 1982 to 1987. He served as Leader of Fine Gael from 1977 to 1987, and ...
Donal Foley
Donal Foley (1922–1981) was a journalist and newspaper editor. He worked as London editor for ''The Irish Press''
before employment with ''The Irish Times''. He was born in the Ring Gaeltacht
( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, ind ...
*
Elgy Gillespie
Elgy F. Gillespie (born 1950) is an English-born Irish journalist and author.
Early life
Gillespie was born in London in 1950, to a Belfast father and an Anglo-German mother. She came to Dublin aged 17, reading English at Trinity College, Dubli ...
Mary Holland
Mary Holland (born June 24, 1985) is an American actress, comedian, and writer.
Early life and education
Holland was born and raised in Galax, Virginia. She attended Interlochen Center for the Arts and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from North ...
*
Róisín Ingle
Róisín Ingle (born 7 October 1971) is an Irish writer – a journalist, columnist and editor – as well as a podcast presenter and producer. She grew up in Sandymount, Dublin and, except for a brief stint in the UK, has lived and worked ...
Karlin Lillington
Karlin J. Lillington is an Irish technology and business journalist, notable for her work with ''The Irish Times'', ''The Guardian'', ''Wired'', Salon.com and other newspapers, magazines and online publishers. Born in Canada and growing up in ...
*
Liam MacGabhann
Liam MacGabhann (born William Cyprian Smith) (1908–1979) was an Irish journalist born at Laharan, Valentia Island, Co Kerry in 1908.
He married Phenie (Tryphena) Franklin (b. 1917 Middlesbrough, England) and had three children Jack, Richard a ...
*
Emer McLysaght
Emer McLysaght (born 1980) is an Irish journalist and co-author of the ''Aisling'' series of novels.
Background
McLysaght is from Kill, County Kildare. After secondary school, she attended Trinity College Dublin, where she studied biology for a ...
Seamus Martin
Seamus Martin (born 1942) is the retired international editor of ''The Irish Times'' and is the brother and only sibling of Diarmuid Martin the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin. He is a former member of board of the Broadcasting Authority o ...
*
Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers (born 30 March 1947) is an English-born Irish journalist and writer. He has contributed to the ''Irish Independent'', the Irish edition of ''The Sunday Times'', and ''The Irish Times''s column "An Irishman's Diary".
Myers is kno ...
*
Breda O'Brien
Breda O'Brien (born 1962) is an Irish teacher and columnist, writing a weekly column for ''The Irish Times''. O'Brien is a frequent spokesperson for Catholic-based views on political issues such as opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. She ...
*
Conor O'Clery
Conor O'Clery is an Irish journalist and writer.
Background
Born in Belfast, Conor O'Clery graduated from Queen's University Belfast in 1972. He was deputy editor of The Gown, the QUB student newspaper.
Career
O'Clery worked for ''The Irish ...
*
Aidan O'Sullivan
Aidan ''Shine'' O'Sullivan (born 1987 in Cahersiveen, County Kerry) is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Dromid Pearses, his divisional side South Kerry and has been a member of the Kerry inter-county team ...
*
Fintan O'Toole
Fintan O'Toole (born 16 February 1958) is a polemicist, literary editor, journalist and drama critic for ''The Irish Times'', for which he has written since 1988. O'Toole was drama critic for the ''New York Daily News'' from 1997 to 2001 and is ...
Arthur Quinlan
Arthur Quinlan (15 January 1921 – 22 December 2012) was an Irish raconteur and print journalist with ''The Irish Times''. Known for his interviews with politicians, royalty and film stars in a career spanning more than 50 years, he was widely ...
*
Martyn Turner
Martyn Turner (born 1948) is an English-born Irish political cartoonist, caricaturist and writer, working for the Irish Times since 1971. His cartoons appear four times a week in the newspaper, parodying current events.
Life Early life and educ ...
*
John Waters
John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his Cinema of Transgression, transgressive cult films, including ''Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), ''Pink Flamin ...
Terence de Vere White
Terence de Vere White (29 April 1912 – 17 June 1994) was an Irish lawyer, writer and editor.
Life Career
Born in Dublin, de Vere White studied at Trinity College, Dublin where he qualified as a solicitor. He later became a partner in a ...
*
Thomas Woods
Thomas Ernest Woods Jr. (born August 1, 1972) is an American author and libertarian commentator who is currently a senior fellow at the Mises Institute.Naji FilaliInterview with Thomas E. Woods, Jr. Harvard Political Review, August 16, 2011. Woo ...
*
Maev-Ann Wren
Maev-Ann Wren is an Irish economist, journalist, author, and former special advisor to the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Roisin Shortall.
*
Newton Emerson
Newton Emerson (born 1969) is a political commentator in Northern Ireland. He described himself as a ' liberal unionist' in 2001. He contributes to both the ''Sunday Times'', and ''The Irish News'' as well as ''The Irish Times''.
He first came ...
See also
*
List of newspapers in Ireland
Below is a list of newspapers published in Ireland.
National titles – currently published – English language
Daily national newspapers
:
Sunday national newspapers
:
Regional titles – currently published – English language
Carlow
...
List of Irish companies
This is a list of notable companies based in Ireland, or subsidiaries according to their sector. It includes companies from the entire island. The state of the Republic of Ireland covers five-sixths of the island, with Northern Ireland, part of th ...
* ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' (United Kingdom)
* ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
Times
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events, and a fundamental quantity of measuring systems.
Time or times may also refer to:
Temporal measurement
* Time in physics, defined by its measurement
* Time standard, civil time specific ...