''The Sligo Champion'' is a weekly regional

newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...

published every Tuesday in

Sligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It was purchased by

Independent News & Media Mediahuis Ireland (formally Independent News and Media (INM) )) is a media organisation that is based in Dublin and publishes national daily newspapers, Sunday newspapers, regional newspapers and operates multiple websites including Independent. ...

(INM) in 2008. In a 2011 article in 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 ...

'', also owned by INM, it was described as one of Ireland's "leading regional newspaper . The newspaper contains local news about County Sligo and surrounding counties, including neighbouring parts of Counties Leitrim and

Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who built ...

History

''The Sligo Champion'' was founded in 1836. The first edition was published on 4 June 1836. It was acquired by

in 2008. In 2009, the newspaper featured in the British soap opera ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Origi ...

'' when character Peter Barlow told his grandmother

Blanche Hunt Blanche Hunt (also Linfield) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. She was originally played by Patricia Cutts; however, the actress died by suicide after appearing in just two episodes in August 1974. ...

that his girlfriend had "an aunt who knew all about the headlines in ''The Sligo Champion''". Writer Simon Crowther wished to mention an Irish newspaper (as Peter's girlfriend was of Irish extraction) and Crowther had recalled a copy he had seen while on holiday in Sligo many years previously. In September 2011, ''The Sligo Champion'' celebrated its 175th birthday, attended by, among others, the then Communications Minister

Pat Rabbitte Pat Rabbitte (born 18 May 1949) is an Irish former Labour Party politician who served as Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources from 2011 to 2014, Leader of the Labour Party from 2002 to 2007 and a Minister of State from 199 ...

.Harkin, Greg
"Still the reigning Champion after 175 great years"
''Irish Independent''. 19 September 2011. Pope, Conor
"Media merger shake-up planned"
''The Irish Times''. 17 September 2011. "Communications minister Pat Rabbitte announced the move in Sligo this evening at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of the ''Sligo Champion''".

References

External links

* 1836 establishments in Ireland Independent News & Media Mass media in County Sligo Newspapers published in the Republic of Ireland Publications established in 1836 Sligo (town) Weekly newspapers published in Ireland {{Ireland-newspaper-stub