Douglas Gageby
Encyclopedia
Douglas Gageby (29 September 1918 - 24 June 2004) was the pre-eminent Irish newspaper editor of his generation. His life is well documented and a book of essays about him, written by many of his colleagues who had attained fame for their literary achievements, was published in 2006 [Bright Brilliant Days: Douglas Gageby and the Irish Times, ed. Andrew Whittaker, Dublin, A&A Farmar, 2006].
He was educated at Belfast Royal Academy
and Trinity College, Dublin
(he read French
and German
) where he was involved with the student newspaper Trinity News
. He enlisted in the Irish Army
as a private soldier at the outbreak of World War II. He was commissioned later, and he served as an intelligence officer. He reported from post-war Germany for the Irish Press and went on to work under Conor Cruise O'Brien
in the Irish News Agency. In 1954 he was the first editor of the Evening Press.
In 1963 he became editor of The Irish Times
, a post he held until 1986, having been brought back from a short retirement in 1974. He is credited with moving the Irish Times from a Unionist organ into a successful Irish journal of record.
, in 2003 it was revealed that a director (and later Chairman) of The Irish Times, Major T.B. McDowell, had referred to Gageby as a 'white nigger' for his views and role in the paper during the Civil Rights Movement
s (CRM) campaign in the 1960s. The comment appeared in a letter from the British Ambassador to Dublin, Sir Andrew Gilchrist
, to Kelvin White, head of the Irish Section of the British Foreign Office and is dated 2 October 1969. Gilchrist was referring to conversations which he had with McDowell where the latter professed himself to be fully behind the British government in the North and hostile to Gageby's coverage of the CRM. However, historian Mark O'Brien notes
"Despite his contacts with London, McDowell's actions did not interfere with Gageby's editorials on Northern Ireland", due to the fact McDowell believed in editorial independence (even though McDowell strongly disagreed with Gageby's nationalist views), and because Gageby was making the newspaper commercially successful. Under the 30 year rule, this letter was made available to newspapers on 22 and 23 December 1999, but no newspaper published it.
It was first discovered by the historian, Jack Lane, and published in The Irish Political Review, a small magazine strongly antagonistic to the Irish Times, in January 2003. He brought it to the attention of The Irish Times editor, Geraldine Kennedy
, on 10 January 2003 and she replied on 15 January 2003 saying she was "unable to confirm the veracity of it" and did not publish it. When, on 26 January 2003, The Irish Sunday Independent published the story, The Irish Times finally followed the next day, 27 January. Nonetheless, on 24 April 2004 Kennedy defended her position by saying, "The contents of the letter in question were published on January 27, 2003, as soon as its existence was drawn to my attention."
(last Secretary General of the League of Nations
). His daughter, Susan Denham
is the Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Ireland.
He was educated at Belfast Royal Academy
Belfast Royal Academy
The Belfast Royal Academy is the oldest school in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a co-educational, non-denominational voluntary grammar school situated in north Belfast. The Academy is one of eight Northern Irish schools whose Headmaster is a member of the Headmasters' and...
and Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
(he read French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
) where he was involved with the student newspaper Trinity News
Trinity News
Trinity News is the student newspaper of Trinity College, and the oldest student newspaper in Ireland. It is an independent newspaper which reports on the news and views of the students and staff of Dublin University...
. He enlisted in the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
as a private soldier at the outbreak of World War II. He was commissioned later, and he served as an intelligence officer. He reported from post-war Germany for the Irish Press and went on to work under Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish politician, writer, historian and academic. Although his opinion on the role of Britain in Northern Ireland changed over the course of the 1970s and 1980s, he always acknowledge values of, as he saw, the two irreconcilable traditions...
in the Irish News Agency. In 1954 he was the first editor of the Evening Press.
In 1963 he became editor of The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
, a post he held until 1986, having been brought back from a short retirement in 1974. He is credited with moving the Irish Times from a Unionist organ into a successful Irish journal of record.
'White Nigger' controversy
Reflecting this perception of Gageby as a liberalLiberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, in 2003 it was revealed that a director (and later Chairman) of The Irish Times, Major T.B. McDowell, had referred to Gageby as a 'white nigger' for his views and role in the paper during the Civil Rights Movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
s (CRM) campaign in the 1960s. The comment appeared in a letter from the British Ambassador to Dublin, Sir Andrew Gilchrist
Andrew Gilchrist
Sir Andrew Graham Gilchrist, KCMG was a Special Operations Executive operative and later a UK ambassador.-Early career in Foreign Office and SOE:...
, to Kelvin White, head of the Irish Section of the British Foreign Office and is dated 2 October 1969. Gilchrist was referring to conversations which he had with McDowell where the latter professed himself to be fully behind the British government in the North and hostile to Gageby's coverage of the CRM. However, historian Mark O'Brien notes
"Despite his contacts with London, McDowell's actions did not interfere with Gageby's editorials on Northern Ireland", due to the fact McDowell believed in editorial independence (even though McDowell strongly disagreed with Gageby's nationalist views), and because Gageby was making the newspaper commercially successful. Under the 30 year rule, this letter was made available to newspapers on 22 and 23 December 1999, but no newspaper published it.
It was first discovered by the historian, Jack Lane, and published in The Irish Political Review, a small magazine strongly antagonistic to the Irish Times, in January 2003. He brought it to the attention of The Irish Times editor, Geraldine Kennedy
Geraldine Kennedy
Geraldine Kennedy is an Irish journalist, former politician, and former editor of The Irish Times newspaper.She became the first female editor of The Irish Times upon the departure of Conor Brady in 2002. Kennedy had held several senior positions at the paper; at the time of her appointment to the...
, on 10 January 2003 and she replied on 15 January 2003 saying she was "unable to confirm the veracity of it" and did not publish it. When, on 26 January 2003, The Irish Sunday Independent published the story, The Irish Times finally followed the next day, 27 January. Nonetheless, on 24 April 2004 Kennedy defended her position by saying, "The contents of the letter in question were published on January 27, 2003, as soon as its existence was drawn to my attention."
Private life
Douglas Gageby was married to Dorothy, daughter of Seán LesterSeán Lester
Seán Lester was an Irish diplomat and the last Secretary General of the League of Nations, from 31 August 1940 to 18 April 1946.-Early life:...
(last Secretary General of the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
). His daughter, Susan Denham
Susan Denham
Susan Denham is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ireland. She was appointed by the President of Ireland on 25 July 2011...
is the Chief Justice
Chief Justice of Ireland
The Chief Justice of Ireland is the president of the Supreme Court of Ireland.Under Constitution of Ireland, the Chief Justice of Ireland also occupies several positions ex officio, these include;* A possible judge of the High Court....
of the Supreme Court of Ireland.
Works
- "Last Secretary General: Sean Lester and the League of Nations" by Douglas Gageby, 1999, ISBN 1-86059-108-6
External links
- The Letter
- Irish Political Review, January 2003
- Jack Lane's Letter to The Irish Times, 10 January 2003
- Obituary of Major McDowell from the London TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, 18 September 2009
