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Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wexford's earliest newspapers
DESPITE ALL of the modern methods of communication, some of them almost instant with the news as it happens, it is refreshing to know that the newspaper is still a popular source of news and reading pleasure.
The presence of the newspaper is enhanced by modern layout in the tabloid style and, of course, quality photography, the kind of package you receive every week from the Echo Group of Newspapers.
The vast differences between modern newspapers and those that went before, was their dullness. There were no illustrations, no variations of type, and few headlines.
Three pages were usually devoted to foreign news and parliamentary reports copied from English journals of the previous few days. One page was usually left for the local material.
Up to 1830, printers worked more than twelve hours a day. In the early newspapers, the one man was often the proprietor, editor, manager and printer. There were many problems in those days, like poor communication, technical difficulties in the printing trade and low circulation figures.
Newspapers found the going difficult and one of the burdens was high taxation imposed by the Government on newspapers. State policy viewed the rise and development of independent newspapers with suspicion and distrust. A stamp duty of a half-penny a copy published was levied on each paper.
This was raised to one penny in 1785 and two-pence sometime later.
In addition there was a tax of two pence on each advertisement which was later raised to one shilling (5c) and then half-a-crown (12.5c). These heavy taxes had a crippling effect on newspapers. As a consequence, newspapers became very expensive to buy.
When the Wexford Herald was first issued in 1788, it cost two pence per copy. Under the taxation it was soon costing 5 pence, a considerable amount in the early 1800's.
Freedom of the Press, as we know it, was not even considered then, yet the Government was afraid that local opinion might be influenced contrary to its dictatorial regime.
Printed sources consulted reflect a confused state of opinion regards the question of Co. Wexford's oldest newspaper.
Was it the Wexford Journal or the Wexford Independent?
The Wexford Independent was established in 1830, but its sub-title carried the heading; "originally established as the Wexford Journal, A.D. 1769."
Hugh Oram's excellent history of newspapers in Ireland between 1649 and 1983, makes no reference to the Wexford Journal, but tells us that the Wexford Independent existed between 1830 and 1906. According to my information, the Wexford Journal is Co. Wexford's oldest newspaper.
Mr. Oram's reference to the Wexford Herald showed uncertainty about its origin and cited 1806 as a possibility.
However, a reliable source closer to home, the late Micheál Tóibín, Enniscorthy, told a meeting of the Old Wexford Society in 1959, that the first issue of the Wexford Herald appeared in June, 1788. It proprietor was Christopher Taylor.
It was published twice weekly, had four pages in each issue, and cost 2 pence. Mr. Tóibín added that the Wexford Herald was published with little interruption for a continuous period of forty-four years.
Griffith's Chronicle's of Co. Wexford, published in 1877, records for November 15th 1836; "Christopher Taylor, one of the original proprietors of the first 'Wexford Herald' newspaper, died."
I find the reference to 'the first' Wexford Herald as a little puzzling. Also that Mr. Tóibín should say that the paper continued for 44 years.
Mr. Oram states 1865 as the date of the last issue of 'the paper', a discrepancy of thirty years between the authors. Were there two newspapers called the Wexford Herald?
A copy of the Wexford Independent dating from the 1870's proudly proclaims itself as 'the oldest newspaper in the county.’ It was printed and published in Wexford and Alderman Greene, J.P. was the named proprietor.
Other Wexford newspapers in the early years of the 19th century included the Wexford Intelligence (1824), the Wexford Evening Post (1826-'30), and the Wexford Freeman (1832-'37). Between 1832 and 1846, the Wexford Conservative was published, and the Wexford Constitution satisfied readers between 1858 and 1887. Its proprietor was Mr. A. Mackay and like most contemporary newspapers made a twice weekly appearance.
The Wexford Guardian began in 1847, but ceased publication in 1856 when it was incorporated into The People, a newspaper founded by James Johnson with a first issue on January 8th 1853.
The New Ross Standard was founded in 1879 and the Enniscorthy Guardian in 1881. The Free Press was another popular local newspaper printed in Wexford town from about 1890 until its final closure in 1971.
Enniscorthy had other newspapers in the past. The Enniscorthy Recorder (1893-1902), Enniscorthy News (1860-1912) and The Watchman (1869-1886).
The Echo & South Leinster Advertiser was first published on May 16th 1902. The Echo Group of Newspapers, now in the ownership of Thomas Crosbie Holdings Ltd, publishers of The Irish Examiner, took charge of ownership from the Buttle family who added new titles such as The Gorey Echo, New Ross Echo and Wexford Echo.
A newspaper called The New Ross Reporter was published from 1871 to 1910. In Gorey, The Gorey Correspondent, with S. Clarke as the proprietor, existed in the 1870's, was three parts printed in London, the remainder in the county, and went on sale on Saturday mornings.
There certainly was no shortage of reading in Co. Wexford in times past, particularly in the 19th century, however, circulation figures were low, literacy was for the privileged and the printing trade was extremely labour intensive.
The Life of the Spalpeen?
A Wexford reader has been in touch wanting to know what was a spalpeen? He had come across the word in his reading and he recalled a popular song called 'An Spailpín Fánach', or at least those words were used in the chorus!
A spalpeen (spailpín) was a poor labourer traditionally working for a penny a day. Carrying their scythe, spade or loy, depending on the crop to be harvested, spalpeens presented themselves at a hiring rate, where they agreed terms with the employer.
A spalpeen might hold a plot of land on conacre and the money received from his labourers was vital to the family income.
The itinerant spalpeen (spailpín fánach) was a regular feature of rural life until the Great Famine (1845-'49); many migrant workers from the western seaboard who travelled annually for the potato-picking season in Scotland and England followed the tradition of the spalpeen.
PRISONER OF WORDS
Following on from the success of 'A Path Less Conventional', Michael Morrison has produced another fine book, 'Prisoner of Words', which was launched last Saturday week by the Wexford-born, New York-based performer, Pierce Turner.
The young Ferns-man believes that we can use words to make ourselves feel and actually be better. Through this book he touches on the transformational power of language.
The content is the stuff of deep thinking and intense study, but the quotes are attributed to many of the 'greats' who are widely quoted such as Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, Shakespeare, Charles Darwin and Sigmund Freud.
"Our words can create peace or drama in our lives", Michael suggests, "Most people inhabit an impoverished language landscape and can only employ a handful of words to describe any and all situations."
The cover is adorned by David Begley's impressive painting 'Beyond the Room' and the book, which costs €10, is available at TUAN, Castle Hill, Enniscorthy, or online. It is published by Athena Press, London.
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