Introduction

The first Irish-language newspaper, the official organ of the Gaelic League entitled An Claidheamh Soluis [The Sword of Light] and Fáinne an Lae [The Breaking of the Day] (1899–1932), created a forum for public discourse and literature in the context of the literary and cultural revival. Unlike the dark nineteenth century of protest in Irish-language journalism, throughout the Revival period professional recognition and a high standard of intellectual content supported journalistic practice. Provincial periodicals, An Lóchrann [The Torch/Light] (1907), An Crann [The Tree] (1916), An Stoc [The Trunk] (1917) and An Branar (1919) also brought new vision to an embryonic Irish-language press. These pioneering journals provide valuable insights on the impact of cultural developments on the Revival period and the subsequent ideology which was central to the Irish psyche of the new Irish State. Literary writing was encouraged and Irish writers embraced innovative writing practices and styles to create a modern literature through the serialisation of novels and short stories in journals and newspapers in Ireland. Growth in cultural dominance through literary and journalistic writing practices is also reflected in London Gaelic League journals Inis Fáil (1904–10), Guth na nGaedheal (1904–38), An tÉireannach (1910–13) and Iris an Fháinne (1919–31), for example. The seeds of a transnational journalistic platform were also sown via the migration of editors and writers such as Tipperary born William Patrick Ryan (Inis Fáil) who moved to London in 1886 to pursue a journalistic career.

Despite a minority reading public, the Irish-language print press continued to carve its niche throughout the twentieth century with the English-language press as a valuable ally, particularly in the context of the creation of a modern Irish literature. Some of the most prolific twentieth-century Irish-language writers mastered their craft in these journals and progression was further enhanced with the launch of academic, cultural and literary journals such as An tUltach (1926), Comhar (1942), Feasta (1948).