Leitrim Observer
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| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Tabloid |
| Owner(s) | Iconic Newspapers |
| Editor | Claire Casserly |
| Deputy editor | Donal O'Grady |
| Sports editor | John Connolly |
| Founded | 1889 |
| Headquarters | Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim |
| Website | www.leitrimobserver.ie |
The Leitrim Observer is the oldest newspaper in County Leitrim, Ireland. It is a weekly newspaper published every Wednesday and once competed with another newspaper called the Leitrim Post which closed in 2009.[citation needed]
History[edit]
The Leitrim Observer was founded by the Mulvey family in 1889.[citation needed] It was bought by Pat Dunne, for a rumoured sum of £150, some time before 1910. When the Black and Tans came to Carrick-on-Shannon during the War of Independence, they badly burned the newspaper's premises, destroying many of its early files.[citation needed]
Historically, each paper was folded by hand, until the early 1950s when the first folding machine was introduced.[citation needed] By the latter part of the 20th century, the paper moved from hot metal printing to the use of linotype machines.[citation needed] The owners of the Observer later invested in an electronic photo-engraving machine, only the second of its kind in Ireland, which cost £5,000.[citation needed]
Pat Dunne died in 1968 and his nephew, Greg, took over the running of the company, re-organising the paper and spending £10,000 on updated machinery.[citation needed] In later years, another Pat Dunne, son of Greg, took over as managing director.[citation needed]
In September 1998, Scottish Radio Holdings purchased the Leitrim Observer for £1 million. UK-based group Johnston Press later purchased the Leitrim Observer in June 2005. Since 2014, the paper has been owned by Iconic Newspapers, which acquired Johnston Press's titles in the Republic of Ireland in 2014.[1]
Circulation[edit]
According to ABC, circulation declined to 6,273 for the period July 2012 to December 2012, this represented a fall of 9% on a year-on-year basis.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ "Johnston Press sells its 14 titles in the Republic". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
- ^ "Regional Newspapers ABC Circulation July-Dec 2012". ilevel.ie. Archived from the original on 1 March 2013.
