Dublin Evening Mail
Encyclopedia
The Dublin Evening Mail was between 1823 and 1962 one of Dublin's evening newspapers.
. The paper was an instant success, with first editor Joseph Timothy Haydn from Limerick
seeing its readership hit 2,500 in a month, making it at that stage (when few could read, and the only people who bought papers where the gentry
and aristocracy
) the city's top seller. Its readership ebbed and flowed during the century. Though it easily outsold rivals like the Dublin Evening Standard
, its readership in 1900 was small compared with national papers such as the Evening Telegraph, which had 26,000 readers, The Irish Times
which had 45,000, and the Freeman's Journal
which had 40,000.
and Evening Press
though as late as the early 1950s it remained Dublin’s biggest selling evening newspaper.
in its final few years. Having failed to turn the newspaper around (it had hoped to turn it into its own evening paper to rival the Irish Independent
/Evening Herald and the Irish Press/Evening Press relationships, the Irish Times controversially closed the paper on 10 July 1962. Some of its staff and columns transferred directly over to the Irish Times.
in James Joyce
's The Dubliners
.
The Mail was once co-owned by author Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, who also owned or part-owned The Warden
, the Protestant Guardian, Evening Packet, and Dublin University Magazine
. Bram Stoker
worked as an unpaid theatre critic for the paper.
(The Soldiers Song) was used informally, it had not been adopted, and the W. T. Cosgrave's Executive Council
was coming under pressure to choose an anthem to end confusion over whether to play Amhrán an BhFiann or God Save the King
for the Irish Free State
abroad. The paper appointed W.B. Yeats, Lennox Robinson
and James Stephens
to be the adjudicators, with a prize of fifty guinea
s on offer for the winning offer. However the adjudicators decided that none of the new compositions were of sufficient standard to win the fifty guineas. In 1928 the Free State finally adopted Amhrán na bhFiann as its anthem.
Publication dates
(1829-1868), known usually by his pseudonym Private Myles O' Reilly was the son of a longtime editor of the Dublin Evening Mail (who while editing was also serving as a Church of Ireland
priest
). Halpine was among other things the private secretary to P.T. Barnum, became a prominent journalist with the New York Times, a decorated soldier in the 69th New York Volunteer Infantry and in the Irish Brigade (where his letters, sent as "Private Myles O'Reilly", to the media defending the union became famous), and a key figure in the creation of the United States Army
's first African-American regiment. He finished his career as a crusader against local government corruption in New York
, before accidentally chloroforming himself to death while trying to cure a severe headache.
Origins
Launched in 1823, it proved to be the longest lasting evening paper in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The paper was an instant success, with first editor Joseph Timothy Haydn from Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
seeing its readership hit 2,500 in a month, making it at that stage (when few could read, and the only people who bought papers where the gentry
Gentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
and aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
) the city's top seller. Its readership ebbed and flowed during the century. Though it easily outsold rivals like the Dublin Evening Standard
Dublin Evening Standard
The Dublin Evening Standard was a short-lived Irish newspaper that was published from 10 January to 23 May 1870. In May 1870 the newspaper ceased publication. Its title was incorporated with its main evening rival, the Dublin Evening Mail....
, its readership in 1900 was small compared with national papers such as the Evening Telegraph, which had 26,000 readers, 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...
which had 45,000, and the Freeman's Journal
Freeman's Journal
The Freeman's Journal was the oldest nationalist newspaper in Ireland. It was founded in 1763 by Charles Lucas and was identified with radical 18th century Protestant patriot politicians Henry Grattan and Henry Flood...
which had 40,000.
20th century challenges
Nevertheless it managed to outlast both the Telegraph and the Freeman's Journal, but faced a far stiffer challenge in the mid 20th century from the nationwide-selling Evening HeraldEvening Herald
The Evening Herald is a mid-market tabloid evening newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland by Independent News & Media. It is published Monday-Saturday, and has three editions — City Edition, City Final Edition and National Edition...
and Evening Press
Evening Press
The Evening Press was an Irish newspaper which was printed from 1954 until 1995. It was set up by Éamon de Valera's Irish Press group, and was originally edited by Douglas Gageby...
though as late as the early 1950s it remained Dublin’s biggest selling evening newspaper.
Bought, then closed, by the Irish Times
The mail was bought by The Irish TimesThe 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...
in its final few years. Having failed to turn the newspaper around (it had hoped to turn it into its own evening paper to rival the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
/Evening Herald and the Irish Press/Evening Press relationships, the Irish Times controversially closed the paper on 10 July 1962. Some of its staff and columns transferred directly over to the Irish Times.
Printed on buff paper
The paper was published on distinctive buff (brownish yellow) paper in contrast to the pink paper of its rival, the Evening Telegraph.Links with Joyce, Stoker, Le Fanu
The Dublin Evening Mail featured in short storiesShort story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
in James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
's The Dubliners
The Dubliners
The Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in 1962.-Formation and history:The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin...
.
The Mail was once co-owned by author Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, who also owned or part-owned The Warden
The Warden
The Warden is the first novel in Anthony Trollope's series known as the "Chronicles of Barsetshire", published in 1855. It was his fourth novel.-Synopsis:...
, the Protestant Guardian, Evening Packet, and Dublin University Magazine
Dublin University Magazine
The Dublin University Magazine was an independent literary cultural and political magazine published in Dublin from 1833 to 1882. It started out as a magazine of political commentary but increasingly became devoted to literature.-Early days:...
. Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula...
worked as an unpaid theatre critic for the paper.
Competition to select a national anthem
In June 1923, the Mail ran a competition to select an Irish national anthem (though Amhrán na bhFiannAmhrán na bhFiann
is the national anthem of Ireland. The music was composed by Peadar Kearney and Patrick Heeney, and the original English lyrics were authored by Kearney. It is sung in the Irish language translation made by Liam Ó Rinn. The song has three verses, but the national anthem consists of the chorus only...
(The Soldiers Song) was used informally, it had not been adopted, and the W. T. Cosgrave's Executive Council
Executive Council of the Irish Free State
The Executive Council was the cabinet and de facto executive branch of government of the 1922–1937 Irish Free State. Formally, the role of the Executive Council was to "aid and advise" the Governor-General who would exercise the executive authority on behalf of the King...
was coming under pressure to choose an anthem to end confusion over whether to play Amhrán an BhFiann or God Save the King
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
for the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
abroad. The paper appointed W.B. Yeats, Lennox Robinson
Lennox Robinson
Esmé Stuart Lennox Robinson was an Irish dramatist, poet and theatre producer and director who was involved with the Abbey Theatre....
and James Stephens
James Stephens
James Stephens may refer to:*James Stephens , 17th century MP for Gloucester*James Stephen , English lawyer associated with the abolition of slavery* James B...
to be the adjudicators, with a prize of fifty guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
s on offer for the winning offer. However the adjudicators decided that none of the new compositions were of sufficient standard to win the fifty guineas. In 1928 the Free State finally adopted Amhrán na bhFiann as its anthem.
Publication dates
- 3 February 1823 — 1 February 1928 as the Dublin Evening Mail
- 2 February 1928 — 10 July 1962 as the Evening Mail.
Trivia
Famed Irish-American Brigadier General Charles Graham HalpineCharles Graham Halpine
Charles Graham Halpine was an Irish journalist and author.-Biography:Born at Oldcastle, County Meath, he was son of the Rev. Nicholas John Halpin...
(1829-1868), known usually by his pseudonym Private Myles O' Reilly was the son of a longtime editor of the Dublin Evening Mail (who while editing was also serving as a Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
). Halpine was among other things the private secretary to P.T. Barnum, became a prominent journalist with the New York Times, a decorated soldier in the 69th New York Volunteer Infantry and in the Irish Brigade (where his letters, sent as "Private Myles O'Reilly", to the media defending the union became famous), and a key figure in the creation of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's first African-American regiment. He finished his career as a crusader against local government corruption in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, before accidentally chloroforming himself to death while trying to cure a severe headache.
Footnotes
- Some sources record the Dublin Evening Mail as having been founded in 1821. However as the National Library of Ireland records the date as 1823 that date is being used in this article.