Editing The Irish Times (section)

==Political stances and controversial stories==
The editor during the 1930s, [[R. M. Smyllie]], had strong [[anti-fascist]] views, and angered the Irish Catholic hierarchy by opposing [[Francisco Franco|General Franco]] during the [[Spanish Civil War]]. During World War II, ''The Irish Times'', like other national newspapers, had problems with Irish Government censorship. The Times was largely pro-[[Allies of World War II|Allies]] and was opposed to the [[Éamon de Valera]] government policy of [[Neutrality (international relations)|neutrality]].<ref name=horgan2001/>

In 1969, the longest-serving editor of ''The Irish Times'', [[Douglas Gageby]], was allegedly called a "white nigger" by company chairman [[Thomas Bleakley McDowell]], because of the newspaper's coverage of [[Northern Ireland]] at the outset of [[the Troubles]], which was supportive of Irish nationalism.<ref name=mallon2003>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irish-times-major--mcdowell-called-his-editor--a-white-nigger-488144.html|title=Irish Times' Major McDowell called his editor a 'white nigger'|work=Irish Independent|first=Charlie|last=Mallon|date=26 January 2003|access-date=25 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/white-nigger-denial-poses-a-real-dilemma-488276.html|title='White nigger' denial poses a real dilemma|work=Irish Independent|first=Ronan|last=Fanning|date=2 February 2003|access-date=25 January 2010}}</ref>

[[John Waters (columnist)|John Waters]], a columnist who spoke out about the perceived vast salaries of the editor, managing director and deputy editor, was sacked and re-hired a week later, in November 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/the-real-story-behind-the-times-rich-list-497097.html|title=The real story behind the Times Rich List|work=[[Irish Independent]]| first1=Liam| last1=Collins|first2=Jody|last2=Corcoran|date=30 November 2003|access-date=25 January 2010}}</ref> Former editor [[Geraldine Kennedy]] was paid more than the editor of the UK's top non-tabloid newspaper ''The Daily Telegraph'', which has a circulation of about nine times that of ''The Irish Times''. Later, columnist [[Fintan O'Toole]] told the ''[[Sunday Independent (Ireland)|Sunday Independent]]'': "We as a paper are not shy of preaching about corporate pay and fat cats but with this there is a sense of excess. Some of the sums mentioned are disturbing. This is not an attack on Ms Kennedy, it is an attack on the executive level of pay. There is double-standard of seeking more job cuts while paying these vast salaries.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irish-times-staff-revolt-at-editor-and-directors-indefensible-salaries-471014.html|work=Irish Independent|title=Irish Times staff revolt at editor and directors' 'indefensible' salaries|date=7 August 2005|access-date=25 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=287121|title=Irish Times staff revolt at editor and directors' 'indefensible' salaries|website=Boards.ie|date=16 July 2005 |access-date=20 May 2011}}</ref>

On 23 December 2004, ''The Irish Times'' ran a front-page story on the [[Provisional IRA]]'s denial of involvement in the [[Northern Bank robbery]], one of Europe's largest ever, and on the same day refused to print a column by [[Kevin Myers]] which said that the Provisional IRA was responsible.<ref name=snooze>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/bank-heist-is-snooze-to-the-irish-times-462931.html|title=Bank heist is snooze to the 'Irish Times'|work=Irish Independent|first=Jim |last=Cusack|date=9 January 2005|access-date=25 January 2010}}</ref> Myers was reported to be shocked by the spiking of his column.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/myers-shocked-at-spiking-of-column-on-ira-by-irish-times-462776.html|title=Myers shocked at spiking of column on IRA by 'Irish Times'|work=Irish Independent|first=Jim|last=Cusack|date=2 January 2005|access-date=25 January 2010}}</ref> Some two weeks later, the paper printed a report that there might, after all, be a "nationalist" connection.<ref name=snooze/> Myers later left the paper in May 2006.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGarry |first1=Patsy |title=There's more to Kevin Myers than his errors of judgment |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/there-s-more-to-kevin-myers-than-his-errors-of-judgment-1.3172649 |access-date=4 June 2024 |publisher=The Irish Times |date=31 July 2017}}</ref>

''The Irish Times'' tended to support the 2007 [[Lisbon Treaty]], which adjusted the operation of the [[European Union]]. However, opposing views were also printed, including articles by [[Declan Ganley]] of [[Libertas Ireland]], and other anti-Lisbon campaigners.{{cn|date=May 2023}}

On 31 July 2010, ''The Irish Times'' published an article titled "The fighting Irish" about Irish nationals who enlisted in the [[British Armed Forces]]. The article featured interviews with members of the [[Royal Irish Regiment (1992)|Royal Irish Regiment]] and the [[Irish Guards]].<ref>{{Cite news|first=Mark|last=Hennessy|title=The fighting Irish|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/the-fighting-irish-1.630830|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=31 July 2010|access-date=24 March 2023}}</ref> It was subsequently criticised by current affairs magazine ''[[The Phoenix (magazine)|The Phoenix]]'', which argued that the article romanticised the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]] and served as little more than an indirect advertisement for the British military. ''The Phoenix'' accused the editor of ''The Irish Times'', [[Geraldine Kennedy]], of violating the Irish [[Defence Act]] which prohibits all forms of military recruitment advertising on the behalf of foreign militaries.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Irish Times for Queen and Country|url=http://www.thephoenix.ie/phoenix/subscriber/library/volume-28/issue-16/contents.pdf|website=[[The Phoenix (magazine)|The Phoenix]]|date=13 August 2010|access-date=24 March 2023}}</ref>

On 9 September 2011, the paper published a pseudonymous article by Kate Fitzgerald.<ref>{{cite news|url-access=subscription|url= https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0909/1224303758047.html|title=Employers failing people with mental health issues|work=Irish Times|date=9 September 2011|access-date=19 December 2011}}</ref> Unknown to the paper, she had taken her life on 22 August 2011. The revelation sparked a nationwide debate on suicide with her parents appearing on television to discuss suicide and depression.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1202/thesaturdaynightshow.html|title=X Factor star for Saturday Night Show|work=RTÉ Ten|publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]]|date=2 December 2011|access-date=2 December 2011}}</ref> The article criticised the reaction to her illness by her employer, [[Communications Clinic|The Communications Clinic]], although it was only after she was identified as the author that her employer became known. The article was later removed from the paper's website,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/2011/0909/Pg016.html#Ar01601:03C8AE0708BB17C47D1AF48B1785671AC57510859E13C5AC1087A913C7B60002CF14F3100507A90897B60006960656A3|title=Legal Redaction|work=Irish Times|date=9 September 2011|access-date=19 December 2011|url-access=subscription}}</ref> causing controversy online. The editor later told her parents that sections of her article were factually incorrect, but could not say which ones.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/12/16/let-kate-have-the-final-word|title='Let Kate Have The Final Word|work=Broadsheet.ie|date=16 December 2011|access-date=19 December 2011}}</ref> Kate's parents complained to the Office of the Press Ombudsman about an apology made to [[Communications Clinic|The Communications Clinic]], their complaint was upheld.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.broadsheet.ie/2012/06/05/kate-fitzgerald-and-the-irish-times-apology-to-the-communications-clinic-the-press-council-decision/|title="Kate" fitzgerald and the Irish times apology to the communications clinic the press council decision|work=Broadsheet.ie|date=5 June 2012|access-date=6 June 2012}}</ref>

In September 2019, the paper reprinted an article from the ''[[New York Times]]'' by [[William Broad]]. The article claimed that "the blossoming anxiety over professed health risks of [[5G]] [fifth generation wireless technology] 'can be traced to a single scientist and a single chart{{'"}}. A complaint to the Office of the Press Ombudsman of the [[Press Council of Ireland]] was filed by Professor Tom Butler of the [[University College Cork]]. The Press Council Ombudsman upheld Butler's complaint, ruling that "''The Irish Times'' breached Principle 1 (Truth and Accuracy) of the Code of Practice of the Press Council of Ireland".<ref name=ombudruling20>{{cite news |last1=The Irish Times |title=Professor Tom Butler and The Irish Times |url-access=subscription |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/professor-tom-butler-and-the-irish-times-1.4164003 |access-date=9 February 2020 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=6 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=presscouncil2020>{{cite web |last1=Press Ombudsman |title=247/2020 – Professor Tom Butler and The Irish Times |url=https://www.presscouncil.ie/about-us/recent-decisions-and-news/2472020-professor-tom-butler-and-the-irish-times- |website=www.presscouncil.ie |publisher=Press Council of Ireland |access-date=10 February 2020}}</ref>