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This article is about the political magazine. For other uses, seeMagill (disambiguation).

Magill
Magill, November 2005 edition
EditorSam Magill
FrequencyMonthly
Founded1977(1977)
Final issue2010(2010)
CountryIreland
Websitehttps://magill.ie

Magillwas anIrishpoliticsand current affairs magazine founded byVincent Browneand others in 1977.Magillspecialised in investigative articles and colourful reportage by journalists such asEamonn McCann(who wrote its anonymousWigmorecolumn) andGene Kerrigan.It was relaunched in 2004 after an earlier closure before closing again in 2009.

Berry diaries[edit]

It first achieved a nationwide profile when it published the diaries of Peter Berry, the former Secretary (administrative head) to theDepartment of Justicein which he alleged that formerTaoiseachJack Lynchhad been less than forthright publicly about the truth surrounding the 1970Arms Crisiswhich brought down two ministers, includingCharles Haughey.[1][2]

In the 1980s as Ireland underwent rapid political change it became the major Irish magazine covering politics.

Changes in editor[edit]

Browne later appointed a series of editors with him becoming managing editor. Its early editors includedFintan O'Toole,John WatersandColm Tóibín.(Tóibín went on to achieve renown as a novelist.) However clashes of personalities with Browne led each editor in turn to quit the post as did one of its major writers Gene Kerrigan.

Closures and relaunches[edit]

Magill ceased publication for a period in the 1990s before returning in 1997 as a joint effort between Browne andMichael O' Doherty,publisher ofVIP Magazine.Its editors in its second incarnation includedJohn Ryan,Emily O'Reilly,Kevin Rafter,Eamon Delaney[3]andNiall Stanage.

The magazine was sold by Browne in the early 2000s.[4]It was acquired by Ian Hyland who had previously acquiredBusiness & Finance.[5]

The title was re-opened under a new editor (author and formerdiplomat)Eamon Delaneyand deputy editor Andrew Lynch in November 2004. Whereas the earlierMagillwas famously populist and leaned to the left, often carrying photographs of politicians with accusatory banner headlines, the newMagillpublished reviews, commentaries, analysis, book reviews and business reports as well as a broader range of articles than were found in Browne's fortnightly version. The new magazine was more right-of-centre than earlier versions.[6]

The re-launch was viewed with particular relish in the world of political journalism because Magill was seen as the centrist answer toThe Village,edited byVincent Browne,the one-time editor of Magill.[7]Upon becoming editor, Delaney toldThe Sunday Timesthat, "I respect the hard Irish left but it's the woolly liberal consensus ofThe Irish TimesandRTÉI have a problem with... They have this raft of outdated orthodoxies: the Americans are bad, the Israelis are evil,travellersare our greatest problem. One in three Irish people is supposed to be living in poverty and Vincent will, no doubt, interview them all. "[7]

Having dropped to an officially bi-monthly (and increasingly erratic) publication schedule in 2008, the magazine once again ceased publication in mid-2009 due to a lack of advertising as a result of the recession.

Browne regains control in 2017[edit]

In April 2017 it was announced that Vincent Browne had regained control of the Magill title,[8]after purchasing it from Business and Finance publisher Ian Hyland. The plan is to have a relaunched print edition initially of one-off specials, as well as online content.[9]

Contributors[edit]

Many staff and freelance writers from newspapers contribute to the magazine including theSunday Independent's political commentatorJohn Drennan,The Irish TimescontributorJim Duffy(who ceased his column when he became an advisor to theleader of the oppositionin 2007) and an Irish government special adviser writing under the pseudonymSean Sexton.Other people who have contributed to the newMagillincludeFine Gaeldeputy leaderRichard Bruton,formerLabourdeputy leaderLiz McManus,formerBritish Conservative PartyministerJonathan Aitken,right-wingretiredUnited StatesdiplomatGeorge DempseyandBBCForeign Affairs EditorJohn Simpson.Michael O'Sullivan,Michael O'Sullivan (biographer)biographerof Mary Robinson and Seán Lemass was Literary Editor when the magazine was edited by John Ryan and Emily O'Reilly.

The last incarnation ofMagillwas designed by Cobalt Design to make use of commissioned artwork as an important tool of communication. Issues feature several of Ireland's most established editorial illustrators, with work byJon Berkeley;David Rooney; Kevin McSherry; Fintan Taite and Joven Kerekes.

Its December 2005 edition carried an interview with TaoiseachBertie Ahern.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Private Members' Business. - Magill Magazine Allegations: Motion".Dáil Éireann debates.25 November 1980. Vol.324 No.7 p.23 cc.1175–1205.Retrieved11 November2015.
  2. ^"Private Members' Business. - Magill Magazine Allegations: Motion (Resumed)".Dáil Éireann debates.26 November 1980. Vol.324 No.8 p.35 cc.1435–66.Retrieved11 November2015.
  3. ^Siggins, Lorna (8 July 2013)."Sculpture donated to international artist's home town".Irish Times.Retrieved22 April2015.
  4. ^"'In Dublin' and 'Magill' close due to falling advertising ".The Irish Times.7 October 2003.
  5. ^"About Us - Business & Finance".Archived fromthe originalon 21 July 2011.
  6. ^"'Magill' to return with new editorial policy ".The Irish Times.8 November 2004.
  7. ^abFay, Liam (22 August 2004). "Magazine rivals line up for fight". Sunday Times (London).ProQuest316650386.
  8. ^Pope, Conor (7 April 2017)."Vincent Browne regains control of Magill the magazine he set up 40 years ago".The Irish Times.
  9. ^McLaughlin, Gavin (7 April 2017)."Vincent Browne buys back right to publish Magill Magazine - 40 years after it first launched".Irish Independent.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Magill&oldid=1082794175"