Carrickfergus Advertiser Explained

The Carrickfergus Advertiser was a weekly newspaper in the County Antrim town of Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland. Founded in 1883, the Carrickfergus Advertiser was part of a group of regional newspapers that also included the Ballyclare Gazette and Larne Gazette. All three newspapers had closed by 2014.

History

The Carrickfergus Advertiser was established in 1883.[1] In 1991, it was acquired by the Alpha Newspaper Group, partly owned by former Ulster Unionist Party MP and later member of the House of Lords John Taylor, Baron Kilclooney.[2]

The East Antrim Gazette Series had three editions: the Carrickfergus Advertiser (established 1883),[1] the Ballyclare Gazette and Larne Gazette (both established in 1994).[3] The Carrickfergus Advertiser was the traditional weekly newspaper of the area, and was the only paper with a full-time office in the centre of Carrickfergus. The three editions (the Carrickfergus Advertiser, Ballyclare Gazette and Larne Gazette) circulated in an area with a population of approximately 80,000.

ITN journalist Dermot Murnaghan started his career at the Carrickfergus Advertiser.[4] [5]

The Larne Gazette closed in 2011.[3] The Ballyclare Gazette and Carrickfergus Advertiser closed down in January 2014.[1]

Notes and References

  1. News: Eight jobs go as two newspapers close. 23 February 2014. The Guardian. 15 January 2014.
  2. Web site: Alpha Newspaper Group closes the 131-year-old Carrickfergus Advertiser with the loss of nine jobs . pressgazette.co.uk . 15 January 2014 . 7 August 2024 .
  3. Web site: Larne Gazette (defunct) . britishpapers.co.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20210508094545/https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/n-ireland/larne-gazette/ . 8 May 2021 .
  4. Web site: Paper Folds . irishnews.com . 7 August 2024 . 16 January 2014 . The Carrick Advertiser launched in 1883 and has helped launch the career of journalists such as Sky presenter Dermot Murnaghan.
  5. Web site: Sky News journalist Dermot Murnaghan injured in hit and run . belfasttelegraph.co.uk . 10 March 2017 . 7 August 2024 . Murnaghan cut his teeth in local newspapers including the now closed Carrickfergus Advertiser .