Editing Freeman's Journal (section)

==History==
===Patriot journal===
It was founded in 1763 by [[Charles Lucas (politician)|Charles Lucas]] and was identified with radical 18th-century [[Protestant]] [[Irish Patriot Party|patriot]] politicians [[Henry Grattan]] and [[Henry Flood]]. This changed from 1784 when it passed to [[Francis Higgins (1746–1802)|Francis Higgins]] (better known as the "Sham Squire")<ref>[https://archive.org/stream/cu31924028122152/cu31924028122152_djvu.txt The Sham Squire and the Informer of 1798]</ref><ref>[http://www.libraryireland.com/HistoryIreland/Lord-Edward-Fitzgerald.php Lord Edward Fitzgerald]</ref> and took a more [[Unionism in Ireland|unionist]] and pro-[[Dublin Castle administration]] view. Higgins is mentioned in the Secret Service Money Book as having been paid £1,000 for supplying information which led to [[Lord Edward FitzGerald]]'s arrest.<ref name="Thejournal">{{cite web |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/ria-money-book-dublin-3295528-Mar2017/ |title=The price of betrayal: Who did the British pay for info on Irish rebels and how much did they pay? |newspaper=The Journal |date= March 19, 2017 |author=Rónán Duffy |access-date= March 19, 2017}}</ref>

===Voice of constitutional nationalism===
In the 19th century it became more nationalist in tone, particularly under the control and inspiration of [[John Gray (Irish politician)|Sir John Gray]] (1815–75).

''The Journal'', as it was widely known as, was the leading newspaper in Ireland throughout the 19th century. Contemporary sources record it being read to the largely illiterate population by priests and local teachers gathering in homes. It was mentioned in contemporary literature and was seen as symbolising [[Irish newspapers]] for most of its time. By the 1880s it had become the primary media supporter of [[Charles Stewart Parnell]] and the [[Irish Parliamentary Party]] (IPP). The weekend edition of the paper was known as '''''The Weekly Freeman''''', which began featuring large format political cartoons in the 1870s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.princeton.edu/~graphicarts/2010/12/freemans_weekly.html |title=Weekly Freeman Cartoons|first1=Julie L.|last1=Mellby|publisher=[[Princeton University Library]]|date=December 6, 2010}}</ref>

It was challenged on all sides by rivals. On the nationalist side some preferred ''[[The Nation (Irish newspaper)|The Nation]]'' founded by [[Thomas Osborne Davis (Irish politician)|Thomas Davis]] while others, including radical supporters of Parnell, read the ''[[United Irishman]]''. The [[Protestant Ascendancy|Anglo-Irish establishment]] in contrast read the historically [[Unionism (Ireland)|Irish unionist]] ''[[The Irish Times]]''. With the split in the IPP over Parnell's relationship with [[Katharine O'Shea]], its readership split too. While  ''The Journal'' in September 1891<ref>Freeman's Journal 22 September 1891</ref> eventually went with the majority in [[Irish National Federation|opposing Parnell]], a minority moved to read the ''[[Daily Irish Independent]]''. It was also challenged from the turn of the century by [[William O'Brien]]'s ''Irish People'' and the ''[[Cork Free Press]]''. With [[Thomas Sexton (Irish politician)|Thomas Sexton]] becoming Chairman of the Board of Directors (1893–1911),  the Journal languished under his spartanic management.

===Superseded by the ''Irish Independent''===
The collapse of the IPP in 1918, and the electoral success of [[Sinn Féin]], saw a more radical nationalism appear that increasingly was out of step with the moderation of the Journal. The ''[[Irish Independent]]'', the successor to the ''Daily Irish Independent'', was more aggressively marketed. Just prior to the outbreak of the [[Irish Civil War]] in March 1922, the Freeman's Journal printing machinery was destroyed by [[Anti-Treaty IRA]] men under [[Rory O'Connor (Irish republican)|Rory O'Connor]] for its support of the [[Anglo-Irish Treaty]]. It did not resume publication until after the outbreak of civil war, when the Irish Free State re-asserted its authority over the country.

''The Freeman's Journal'' ceased publication in 1924, when it was merged with the ''[[Irish Independent]]''. Until the 1990s, the Irish Independent included the words 'Incorporating the Freeman's Journal' in its mast-head over its editorials.

===Offices===
The newspaper's head office was located at 4-6 Prince Street North until its destruction during the Easter Rising of 1916.

After its destruction, the newspaper refurbished buildings at 6-8 Townsend Street incorporating the former Dublin Coffee Palace however these were ultimately ransacked by anti-treaty forces in March 1922.<ref>{{cite web |title=Townsend Street |url=https://www.dia.ie/works/view/38957/CO.+DUBLIN%2C+DUBLIN%2C+TOWNSEND+STREET%2C+NO.+006+%28FREEMAN%27S+JOURNAL%29 |website=www.dia.ie |access-date=15 July 2024}}</ref>

It also developed other alternative offices at 27 [[Westmoreland Street]] in 1917 while carrying out extensive renovations there in 1921-22.<ref>{{cite web |title=27 Westmoreland Street |url=https://www.dia.ie/works/view/39143/building/CO.+DUBLIN%2C+DUBLIN%2C+WESTMORELAND+STREET%2C+NO.+027+%28FREEMAN%27S+JOURNAL%29 |website=www.dia.ie |access-date=15 July 2024}}</ref>