Champion back to its roots

LAST Thursday was a significant day in the life of one of the country’s oldest provinicial newspaper when the official opening took place of its new offices on Stephen Street.

And, in an ironic twist, the new premises, a building which was the former Northern Irish Bank, is adajacent to where it all began for The Sligo Champion in 1836.

CEO of INM, Michael Doorly was on hand to officially open the new premises before a gathering of selected guests and staff including INM MD (Regionals), John Feerick, Acting Editor Paul Deering and the newspaper’s Business Development Manager, Lorraine McDonnell.

The first edition of the newspaper was publish on The first edition was published on June 4 th, 1836. Mr Edward Howard Verdon was the founder and editor of the newspaper and was Mayor of Sligo four times.One of its most famous owners was P A McHugh who became owner in 1885. He was Mayor of Sligo in 1888, and again in 1895-98 and 1900. He was elected to Sligo County Council on its establishment in 1899 and became its first chairman.He was elected MP for North Leitrim as an Anti-Parnellite Nationalist in 1892 and retained the seat unopposed in 1895. A statue was erected in his honour in 1916, originally at the top of O’Connell Street before being moved to its present location at City Hall in the 1970s.

INM bought the newspaper in 2008.