Three midlands newspapers to close

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Since when is Roscommon in the midlands

Traditionally it isn't but in reality its as much midlands as Westmeath, sure Tipp and Cavan should be considered the Midlands too, but we tend to refer to the Midlands to the Midland counties that are in Leinster.

Well that's what I meant,I always think of the midlands as Laois,Offaly,Westmeath and probably Longford.

Its one of those your both right times, with Athlone being more or less the middle of the country, South Roscommon and East Galway are closer the middle than Laois.

[sammymaguire]

Midlands too quiet for much news? 

[Shamrock Shore]

Not sorted yet LL. Getting there.

I, too, would say the midland counties are Longford, Westmeath, Offaly and Laois.

Hardly a badge of honour though, is it?

[seafoid]

Are there any other newspapers in Ros and Larrystan ?
These are very tough times for newspapers in general.

[AZOffaly]

Not sorted yet LL. Getting there.

I, too, would say the midland counties are Longford, Westmeath, Offaly and Laois.

Hardly a badge of honour though, is it?

Yes it is

[Shamrock Shore]

'Larrystan'  Has The Longford Leader (know locally as The Layder). Its sole function is to make Longford people feel good about themselves! Headlines like:

Rose of Tralee judge's wife's grandmother hailed from Ballymahon
New Chief of Police in Arsehole, Kansas has a Longford cousin

etc etc

Also it's a Longford person's right to have their pic in The Layder at least once in their life. I am sure all us Larries here on board have had the pleasure.

[Billys Boots]

I am sure all us Larries here on board have had the pleasure.

Ho yus, won a muttering competition way back when.

[seafoid]

'Larrystan'  Has The Longford Leader (know locally as The Layder). Its sole function is to make Longford people feel good about themselves! Headlines like:

Rose of Tralee judge's wife's grandmother hailed from Ballymahon
New Chief of Police in Arsehole, Kansas has a Longford cousin

etc etc

Also it's a Longford person's right to have their pic in The Layder at least once in their life. I am sure all us Larries here on board have had the pleasure.

Isn't that the raison d'etre of all the provincial newspaper?  In Galway the idea is to get your likeness in the Thrybune.
Poor Ros.  No newspaper. Everything is contracting. Priests in parishes, newspapers , what next ? 

[Hardy]

Also it's a Longford person's right to have their pic in The Layder at least once in their life. I am sure all us Larries here on board have had the pleasure.

Not me. Not yet, anyhow. What do I have to do? If it involves accordions or silage, count me out.

[Shamrock Shore]

Not me. Not yet, anyhow. What do I have to do? If it involves accordions or silage, count me out.

Simple Hardy. Send me your mugshot and I'll get you in somehow with a press release. Headline

Cork based Meath man wants to be honarary Longford man

A Meath native living in Cork, Hardyarse The Fiddler, has declared on a public forum his desire to have dual alliegence to his native Meath and Longford. Mr Fiddler, aged XX, who has lived in Cork since 19xx, writing on the ever popular gaaboard.com etc etc

[passedit]

Not me. Not yet, anyhow. What do I have to do? If it involves accordions or silage, count me out.

Simple Hardy. Send me your mugshot and I'll get you in somehow with a press release. Headline

Cork based Meath man wants to be honarary Longford man

A Meath native living in Cork, Hardyarse The Fiddler, has declared on a public forum his desire to have dual alliegence to his native Meath and Longford. Mr Fiddler, aged XX, who has lived in Cork since 19xx, writing on the ever popular gaaboard.com etc etc

Ah c'mon now.

[Billys Boots]

Jaysus SS, the spelling would only get that into the News, not a chance with the Layder - perhaps in the Bornacoola notes.

Anyhow Hardy, some additional items would be necessary: (1) have you ever visited the county? (chances go up if you haven't), (2) could you pick the county out on a map? (again chances rise with increasing ignorance), (3) any rellies in the county (or the county home)?, (4) could you be called upon to 'appear' on stage with a local luminary at a local 'festival of the arts' (e.g. Declan Nerney, Frankie Kilbride or, heavens above, Larry) or (5) have you ever been directly involved in the conquest of a local sporting team/individual (be aware that this will involve portrayal as a treasonable event for a so-called 'local', or you may be mentioned in relation to Dromard GFC)?

[Hardy]

Billy, I didn't realise it was the start of a week of hard questions when I went to the Bellewstown school reunion on Saturday and the photographer asked me, without any preamble or provocation "are you the man that rode the ass?". How do you answer a question like that?

1.   If "visit" implies Longford as the actual destination, then sadly no. But I could cite the Cascarino protocol. Was Sheila Devalera ever in Clare?
2.   I'd just trail my finger west from Navan and stop when there's no more swamps.
3.   Not that I know of, unless any stray childer.
4.   Could I send a representative? If not I could practice "The Cremation Of Sam McGee".
5.   I'll make something up, as long as I get to mention Slashers. Is the Layder a rigorous checker of authenticity?

SS – I can supply a few teasers to flesh out your story, if it'd help. Greyhound derby winnings available for investment in the dog meat industry in return for naturalisation. That kind of thing.

[Rossfan]

Poor Ros.  No newspaper.

Ros has the excellent 151 years old Roscommon  Herald from Boyle and the excellent free paper Roscommon People . The latter is part of the reason for the downfall of the Champion as some contributors left the Champion and the South Rosfolk got a better paper for free than the one they had to pay €2 for.

[Turlough O Carolan]

Since when is Roscommon in the midlands

Traditionally it isn't but in reality its as much midlands as Westmeath, sure Tipp and Cavan should be considered the Midlands too, but we tend to refer to the Midlands to the Midland counties that are in Leinster.

Well that's what I meant,I always think of the midlands as Laois,Offaly,Westmeath and probably Longford.

Its one of those your both right times, with Athlone being more or less the middle of the country, South Roscommon and East Galway are closer the middle than Laois.

Anything West of the Shannon is the West - you can tell once you cross over that natural boundary that you are in a different place altogether. Sad to see that the Champion is no more but its days looked numbered once many of it's "top" writers moved over to the Roscommon People. Although many never even read it in the old days because it had an unrepentant FF ethos. The Herald was always the leading newspaper in Ros, anyway - although it had its share of interesting editors too.  That said, the strategy of local newspapers is very foolish. Their websites are absolutely cat. These newspapers should be setting up local portals that are updated constantly, with information online that is not available on print, not just a half-arse effort to upload some of the print content (several weeks too late) in the most badly formatted way possible. They should be creating engaging experiences for their web savvy readers so they can start to sell advertising on them. They should be seeking ways to get their content on every new platform, where consumers are looking for news, sports updates, properties, and what have you. You'll see more and more newspapers - both local and national - going out of business in the years to come. But the news lust of readers won't go away.