Sligo Poets 1912-1923

THE SLIGO NATIONALIST AND LEITRIM LEADER (1908-1920)

This nationalist organ was founded in 1908 by Bernard McTernan, a former editor of the Sligo Champion. It was printed and published every Friday at the offices, Stephen St., price 2d. In April, 1920 it was taken over by the West of Ireland Printing and Publishing Co., and was incorporated with The Connachtman when the latter was established in May of that year.

THE CONNACHTMAN (1920-1925)

The third newspaper to make its appearance in Sligo in the present century was The Connachtman. It had as a motto – “Principle not Personality our Watchword”. The first issue, dated May 1st, 1920, was printed and published by the West of Ireland Printing and Publishing Co., Stephen St., every Saturday, price 2d. R.G. Bradshaw, who later became Sligo Town Clerk, was the editor and managing director. In its short existence of five years this Republican organ had the most chequered career of any local newspaper. When it gave its full hearted support to the Dail Loan in 1818. the premises were raided by Crown forces, Bradshaw was arrested and fined £500. In Bradshaw's absence Seamus MacGowan, a former editor of the Sligo Nationalist took control. Two years later the issue for October 8th, 1920, was declared illegal and In January of the following year the proprietors and editor were courtmartialed in Belfast and fined 6200 each for publishing “seditious matter”. On another occasion Seamus MacGowan was sentenced to one year's penal servitude for a similar offence. During the Civil War the paper was suppressed by the Treaty Forces. Bradshaw and MacGowan were ‘on the run’ and the premises were occupied, still the Connachtman continued to be published at irregular intervals, thanks to the enterprise of Messrs Sean Carroll, Bernie Gillen and Charlie Dolan. In the spring of 1924 the paper was re-established and appeared weekly until its collapse on February 4th, 1925.

John C. McTernan, Historic Sligo (Sligo, 1965)

National Library of Ireland holdings of the Sligo Nationalist:
28 June 1913 - 29 Aug 1914; 10 Oct 1914 - 20 Sept 1919; 29 Nov 1919 - 24 April 1920.

National Library of Ireland holdings of An Connachtach/The Connachtman:
1 May - 25 Dec. 1920; 1921; Jan - July 1922.