The University Observer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The University Observer | |
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| Type | Bi-weekly newspaper |
| Format | broadsheet |
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| Owner(s) | UCD Students' Union |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Political position | - |
| Headquarters | Belfield, Dublin |
| Editor | Stephen Carroll |
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| Website | www.und.ie/observer |
The University Observer is a broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout campus of University College Dublin bi-weekly It was launched in the early 1990s by University College Dublin Students' Union. It has generally regarded as Ireland's best student paper over the past five or so years, and it has been recognised both by national media and international media awards.
Several of the paper's former editorial staff are now working as national journalists, and the paper is well-regarded by the country's leading newspapers. It has an average distribution of over 10,000 copies per edition, the largest by far of any Irish student newspaper.
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[edit] History
The Obsever launched in tabloid form in 1994 but turned broadsheet in 1998 under the editorship of Katherine O'Callaghan and Edward Melvin with a tabloid entertainment's supplement O2.
Since 2000, the paper has been recognised both at national and international awards annually. Daniel McConnell, Enda Curran, Steve Cummins, Samantha Libreri, and Eoghan Casey have all won the coveted national editor of the year title. The paper under McConnell, Curran, Cummins, Libreri and Sorcha Nic Mhathuna has taken the Paper of the year award, and has also scooped several design publication and reporting awards. In 2000 & 2001, the paper was shortlisted for best newspaper at the Guardian Student Media Awards in the UK, and picked up the runners up prize on the latter occasion. Since 2002, The University Observer has won 24 National Student Media Awards.
The current editor of the paper is Stephen Carroll.
[edit] Controversy
The paper failed to emerge at the start of the 2000 academic year as a change in the paper's operational structures meant that there would no longer be dual editors but instead there would be an editor and a deputy editor. A joint application for the editorial positions in 2000 was deemed invalid due to the position changes and thus began a heated series of legal argument which split the officialdom of the SU. A temporary editorial team of Eoin Purcell, Enda Curran and Lucy Michael produced one edition during the first term. It was not until December of that year that the legal matters were resolved and a new editorial team brought out the first edition of Volume seven, which suffered somewhat in quality terms. The paper did turn a corner and by the end of Volume Eight it had regained the mantle of Best Student Newspaper in the country when it was recognised at the Smedia Awards.
In early 2003, Editor Enda Curran was removed from his post by SU President Aonghus Hourihane following a vote by the Union Council. This vote was precipitated by the paper publishing an inappropriate and argueably racist vox-pop column in the paper's O2 section. Hourihane was deeply criticised for removing Curran, as such a removal was unprecidented. Many around the saga felt as if other outside factors had motivated the sacking. Curran's deputy Steve Cummins assumed the role of acting editor for the rest of the year leading it to the Newspaper of the Year gong at the National Student Media Awards. Curran also went on to receive Best News reporter and an Outstanding contribution award at the Irish Student Media Awards several months later.
[edit] Roll of former Editors
[edit] Dual Editors
Pat Leahy (1994-1995), now of the Sunday Business Post
Dara O'Briain (1994-1995), now of BBC and RTE comic fame
Roddy O' Sullivan (1995-1996), now of the Irish Times
Declan Walsh (1995-1996), now of the Guardian
Shane Hegarty (1996-1997), now of The Irish Times
Alan Torney (1997-1998), TV researcher
Sinead Ingoldsby (1997-98), Champion hurdler
Katherine O'Callaghan (1998-99)
Edward Melvin (1998-99)
Lucy Michael (1999-2000)
Sarah Egan (1999-2000)
[edit] Editors & Deputy Editors
Editor Daniel McConnell (2000-2002), now of the Sunday Independent
Deputy Juno McEnroe (2000-2001), now of the Irish Examiner
Deputy Colm Maguire (2001-2002)
Editor Enda Curran (2002-2003), now of Dow Jones, London
Deputy Steve Cummins (2002-2003), now NME Ireland Editor
Editor Samantha Libreri (2003-2004), now of RTE News
Deputy Emmet Ryan (2003-2004), now of the Sunday Business Post
Editor Eoghan Casey (2004-2005)
Deputy Eoghan de Bhulbh (2004-2005)
Editor Sorcha Nic Mhathuna (2005-2006), now of The Daily Star
Deputy Nathalie Márquez Courtney (2005-2006), now In Dublin Deputy Editor
| Roll call of former editors of The University Observer | |||||||||
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| 1998/99 | 1999/00 | 2000/01 | 2001/02 | 2002/03 | 2003/04 | 2004/05 | 2005/06 | 2006/07 | |
| Editors | Edward Melvin & Katherine O'Callaghan | Lucy Michael & Sarah Egan | Daniel McConnell | Daniel McConnell | Enda Curran*/ Steve Cummins | Samantha Libreri | Eoghan Casey | Sorcha Nic Mhathuna | Stephen Carroll |
| Deputy Editors | (no such office) | Juno McEnroe | Colm Maguire | Steve Cummins | Emmet Ryan | Eoghan de Bhulbh | Nathalie Márquez Courtney | Michelle McCormick | |
[edit] External links
- University College Dublin Students' Union — the official website of UCDSU.
- http://netsoc.ucd.ie/~observer/ — former student run website of The University Observer.
