A new look for the Longford Leader as we celebrate 125 years

Eagle-eyed Longford Leader readers will have noticed a new look to our front page today as we’re sporting a sleek new masthead.

Our paper has featured a variety of mastheads on its front page throughout its illustrious history and this new one is particularly special, since 2022 marks the 125th anniversary of the first publication of the Longford Leader in 1897.

The Leader has always changed with the times and this week’s refresh is just the latest example of numerous innovations stretching right back to our foundation 125 years ago.

Reflecting on the centenary of the newspaper in 1997, then Editor and Managing Director, the late Eugene McGee wrote that ‘it is a very different world in which we mark the centenary of the newspaper to the one in which Mr JP Farrell MP took the brave step in 1897 of starting up a new nationalist newspaper in Longford’.

A quarter of a century further on and the media landscape is utterly more different - indeed, it has changed beyond recognition.

The digital race has resulted in a massive shift towards a demand for instant news and the Longford Leader has embraced that challenge head on and during 2021 our website www.longfordleader.ie enjoyed over eleven million page views and a record number of unique users.

PICTURES | Change the front page! How the Longford Leader has evolved since the first paper in 1897

In 1997 we published a commemorative centenary magazine entitled ‘A Century of Longford Life’ and to mark our 125th anniversary we’ve a number of exciting plans and initiatives in the pipeline, including a 125 souvenir production. We’ll bring you more details about that and other events in the weeks ahead.

In a significant move, The Longford Leader recently moved to new modern offices situated on the Market Square in Longford town, a location that many regard as the spiritual home for the newspaper.

And while we are always appreciative of our 125 years heritage, we think that the refreshed, contemporary look of our new front page, with the stylish new masthead, reflects a dynamic, progressive county coming to life again after the past two years of lockdown.

Just look at this week’s edition of the newspaper where the glorious return of the brilliantly supported and superbly organised 86th County Longford Ploughing Championships figure prominently on our front page and on pages 12 - 15.

A young, emerging Longford football outfit produced as polished a performance as they have done for the past decade to clinically put Laois to the sword in a crucial winner takes all battle at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise - so often a graveyard for the aspirations of Longford sides - and today’s newspaper features comprehensive coverage of that victory.

Indeed, it is a great appetiser for readers to get stuck into our fabulous 32–page GAA magazine, featuring interviews, profiles and expert opinion, which is brought to you by astute sports editors and journalists from across the Iconic Media group.

The plight of Ukrainians, stricken by war, saw the spirit and generosity of Longford people emerge as it always does, with many organisations and communities rallying to gather vital supplies to assist the humanitarian efforts led by agencies like the Red Cross and GOAL. People in the county have also opened their doors, warmly welcoming Ukrainians displaced by the war in their homeland.

Unveiling a local MP's Home Rule legacy in Longford

A plaque dedicated to Member of Parliament (MP) and Longford Leader founder JP Farrell was unveiled by former Taoiseach John Bruton at the Market Square in Longford town last Thursday evening.

Our front page may have changed slightly, but The Longford Leader will still be brought to you by the same dedicated team, reporting comprehensively on Longford life, politics, issues and events, as we and our predecessors have done since 1897.

We have plenty of exciting events coming up too, both in print and online, where our widely-read 24-hour news website brings you the latest and the most comprehensive and consistent Longford news service.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting the Longford Leader, and we hope you enjoy this issue and we look forward to the next stage of our journey with you.