''Rann'' was the first poetry journal ever produced in Northern Ireland. It was founded and edited by Lisburn based writers

Roy McFadden Roy McFadden (14 November 1921 – 15 September 1999) was a Northern Irish poet, editor, and lawyer. McFadden's first poem was published before he was thirteen. His earliest influences were from magazines and journals that his Father brought home, ...

and Barbara Hunter in 1948, aiming to provide a platform for young, aspiring poets. The editorial policy was unapologetically regionalist. The title of the periodical means "verse" in Irish. The magazine was published quarterly and ran for five years, with some twenty issues published between 1948 and 1953. The first edition stated that ''Rann'' aimed to give, "this region an opportunity to find its voice and to express itself in genuine accents in these pages." The subtitle to the first edition was ''A Quarterly of Ulster Poetry'', however by the second issue this had changed to ''An Ulster Quarterly of Poetry'' exposing editorial concerns that there may not have been enough Ulster verse to fill its pages. By issue number thirteen the subtitle had the additional words "and comment" added, allowing for the introduction of theatre and radio criticism. The first edition was sold for one shilling and comprised poetry and prose by established writers such as John Hewitt,

Michael McLaverty Michael McLaverty (5 July 1904 – 22 March 1992) was an Irish writer of novels and short stories. John Hewitt estimated that around one-hundred writers made contributions over the lifetime of the magazine, including many from throughout the United Kingdom, such as

Kingsley Amis Sir Kingsley William Amis (16 April 1922 – 22 October 1995) was an English novelist, poet, critic, and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, six volumes of poetry, a memoir, short stories, radio and television scripts, and works of social a ...

and R S Thomas. The editorial team's greatest success was with the first publication of William Butler Yeats's Civil War poem, ''Reprisals'', facilitated by the Yeats's family friend and scholar, Oliver Edwards. The covers of ''Rann'' were designed by established artists including Raymond Piper, Anne Yeats, Paul Nietsche and

William Conor William Conor OBE RHA PPRUA ROI (1881–1968) was a Belfast-born artist. Celebrated for his warm and sympathetic portrayals of working-class life in Ulster, William Conor studied at the Government School of Design in Belfast in the 1890s ...

. The first cover was designed by

Rowel Friers Rowel Boyd Friers ''MBE'' ''PPRUA'' (13 April 1920 -21 September 1998) was a cartoonist, illustrator, painter and lithographer. Early life and career Friers grew up in the Lagan Village area of Belfast near the Ravenhill Road. He was appre ...

. The magazine's final edition contained the most comprehensive bibliography of Ulster writers since the turn of the century.Brown, John., (1999), p.113 Following the publication of the final edition Roy McFadden commented, "I explained that tiredness, not need of cash or an increased circulation, had convinced us that five years had been a brave innings: that enough was enough."

References

1948 establishments in Northern Ireland Defunct magazines published in Ireland Literary magazines published in Ireland Magazines established in 1948 Magazines disestablished in 1953 Magazines published in Northern Ireland {{NorthernIreland-media-stub