TheJournal.ie
An Irish digital news publication covering national, international, political, business, cultural and social affairs.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Journal, formerly styled as TheJournal.ie, is an Irish online news publication operated by Journal Media. It was established in early 2010 as a digital-first outlet serving readers in Ireland. The publication initially combined original reporting with aggregated material, but subsequently moved toward an entirely original-content model. Its output is organized around frequent online publishing rather than a printed edition, and the site has been described as producing approximately 70 original pieces of content per day. The publication’s principal service is general news, with coverage of Irish politics, public affairs, courts, society, health, education, international developments and opinion. Over time, the wider Journal Media operation also developed specialist editorial brands. These included Fora, a business-news service; The 42, a sports publication formerly known as TheScore.ie; and The Daily Edge, an entertainment and gossip site. The Daily Edge ceased operations in March 2019, while Fora was wound down in April 2020 after a decline in advertising revenue and cost reductions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. The 42 continued as a distinct sports-news and mobile-oriented service, covering association football, Gaelic games, rugby, athletics, boxing, mixed martial arts and other sports. Investigative journalism became a particularly visible part of the group’s work through Noteworthy, an investigative platform launched in April 2019. The project was developed with support from Google’s Digital News Innovation fund and uses a reader-supported model in which members of the public can suggest investigation ideas and help fund selected projects. Noteworthy investigations have addressed public-interest issues including planning, education and the experiences of children from the Traveller community. Its work has received award recognition and has been cited in Ireland’s national parliament, the Oireachtas. The Journal has had several editorial leadership phases. Jennifer O’Connell edited the publication from 2010 to 2011, followed by Susan Daly, who held the editor role until August 2019. Daly then became managing editor, and Sinéad O’Carroll became editor. The organization has been reported as employing approximately 75 people, including journalists and other editorial and operational staff. Contributors associated with the publication have included Aoife Barry, Christine Bohan, Daragh Brophy, Orla Ryan, Emer Moreau, Carl Kinsella and Christina Finn, while former contributors have included Gavan Reilly and Emer McLysaght. The Journal’s digital-native positioning has been reflected in its early recognition by Irish web and digital-media awards. In 2011 it received multiple Eircom Spider Awards, Irish Web Awards and an Appy Award. Its associated sports service The 42 was named Sports Media Outlet of the Year by the Irish Sport Federation in 2019. In 2020, The Journal won the Mary Raftery Prize for a podcast series concerning the Stardust fire. The publication therefore combines high-volume daily news publishing with specialist verticals, investigative projects, podcasts and mobile-oriented distribution.
History
The Journal was founded in early 2010 as an online newspaper serving an Irish audience. Unlike a traditional newspaper group built around print circulation, it was conceived as a web-native publication. Its early editorial model mixed original reporting with aggregated material, but the organization later shifted to an entirely original-content approach. The publication developed a high-frequency news operation and was reported to produce about 70 original pieces each day. Jennifer O’Connell was the first editor, serving from 2010 to 2011. Susan Daly then led the editorial operation until August 2019, when she became managing editor and Sinéad O’Carroll took over as editor. The publication’s staffing has been reported at approximately 75 employees, reflecting a newsroom and digital-media operation substantially larger than a small independent blog but focused on online distribution. The Journal’s editorial structure expanded through specialist services. The original wider portfolio included TheJournal.ie for Irish and international news and opinion, Fora for business coverage, TheScore.ie for sports, and The Daily Edge for entertainment and gossip. The sports service was renamed The 42 in 2014. Its name refers to the relaxation of the Gaelic Athletic Association’s Rule 42 in 2005, which permitted soccer and rugby matches at Croke Park. The 42 covers a broad range of sports, including football, Gaelic games, rugby, athletics, boxing and mixed martial arts. The Daily Edge closed in March 2019. Fora closed in April 2020 after advertising revenue declined, with the closure occurring as Journal Media reduced costs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. Investigative reporting became a major area of development with the launch of Noteworthy in April 2019. Backed by Google’s Digital News Innovation fund in 2018, Noteworthy introduced a reader-participation and crowdfunding model. Members of the public can submit proposals for investigations, and selected projects can receive funding through the platform. Its reporting has included work on planning issues in Kilkenny and the educational experiences of Traveller children. Noteworthy investigations have been recognized by Irish and international awards, including work nominated for the Mary Raftery Prize and the Justice Media Awards. Findings from its investigations have also been discussed in Ireland’s Dáil and Seanad. The publication and its related services have received repeated recognition. In 2011 The Journal won three Eircom Spider Awards, including Best News Site and the Grand Prix for Best Overall Site, as well as two Irish Web Awards and an Appy Award for media and publishing applications. The 42 was named Sports Media Outlet of the Year at the Irish Sport Federation awards in 2019. In 2020 The Journal won the Mary Raftery Prize for a podcast series about the Stardust fire. In 2021, Maria Delaney and Michelle Hennessy received a Journalism Excellence Award for the Tough Start series. Today, The Journal is best understood as the core general-news brand within Journal Media’s digital publishing operation. Its identity rests on Irish public-affairs reporting, broad online news coverage, investigative journalism, podcasts and related specialist services rather than on a print product.
- 2020
Fora closes
[1]The business-news vertical is wound down on 9 April amid declining advertising revenue and pandemic-related cost reductions.
- 2019
Noteworthy launches
[1]Journal Media launches its reader-supported investigative journalism platform.
- 2019
The Daily Edge closes
[1]The entertainment and gossip site ceases operations on 29 March.
- 2014
TheScore.ie becomes The 42
[1]The group’s sports-news service changes its name to The 42.
- 2011
Early digital awards
[1]The Journal receives Eircom Spider Awards, Irish Web Awards and an Appy Award.
- 2010
The Journal is founded
[1]The online newspaper begins publishing in Ireland, initially combining original and aggregated material.
Products and positioning
A digital-first Irish news publisher combining high-volume original reporting with specialist journalism, investigative projects and mobile-oriented distribution.
Digital news publication · 2010
The Journal
The core general-news service publishes Irish and international news, opinion and analysis. Its coverage spans politics, public affairs, courts, society, health, education and other subjects relevant to an Irish audience. The service developed from an initial mixed aggregation-and-original model into a publication centered on original reporting and frequent daily updates.
Investigative journalism · 2019
Noteworthy
Noteworthy is an investigative journalism platform launched by Journal Media in 2019. It invites readers to submit ideas for public-interest investigations and uses crowdfunding to support selected projects. Its reporting has examined planning, education and social issues, and its work has received award recognition and been cited in Ireland’s national parliament.
Sports news · 2014
The 42
The 42 is a sports-news website and app covering association football, Gaelic games, rugby, athletics, boxing, mixed martial arts and other sports. It was formerly known as TheScore.ie and adopted its current name in 2014. The service is operated by Journal Media and has its own editorial leadership.
Business news
Fora
Fora was a Journal Media business-news service covering commercial and economic affairs. It was one of the group’s original specialist editorial components but was discontinued in April 2020 after advertising revenue declined and the parent organization reduced costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Entertainment and gossip
The Daily Edge
The Daily Edge was a Journal Media entertainment and gossip publication. It formed part of the group’s original multi-site editorial structure before ceasing operations on 29 March 2019.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Noteworthy reader-supported investigations
Ireland
Noteworthy invited members of the public to propose investigative topics and helped fund selected projects through reader crowdfunding.
Outcome. The platform produced investigations that received award recognition and were cited in the Dáil and Seanad.
Brand decisions
2020
Wind down ForaStrategyBackground
Fora faced declining advertising revenue, and Journal Media was reducing costs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland.
Action taken
The business-news service was wound down on 9 April 2020.
Aftermath
The group discontinued the specialist business-news vertical while retaining its core news and sports operations.
2019
Close The Daily EdgeOtherBackground
The Daily Edge was the group’s entertainment and gossip vertical.
Action taken
Journal Media ceased operations of The Daily Edge on 29 March 2019.
Aftermath
The Journal Media portfolio became more concentrated on general news, sports and investigative journalism.
2019
Change in editorial leadershipOtherBackground
Susan Daly had edited The Journal since 2011.
Action taken
Sinéad O’Carroll became editor while Daly was promoted to managing editor.
Aftermath
The publication continued under a revised editorial leadership structure.
2014
Rename TheScore.ie as The 42StrategyBackground
The group’s sports-news service operated under the name TheScore.ie before adopting a new identity.
Action taken
The service was renamed The 42, referencing the relaxation of the GAA’s Rule 42 in 2005.
Aftermath
The 42 continued as a distinct sports-news and app service and later received Sports Media Outlet of the Year recognition.
Sources1 sources
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