This month marks a major milestone for the Irish Examiner as it celebrates 185 years since it’s first edition was published in Cork on August 30, 1841.

Founded by John Francis Maguire as The Cork Examiner, the Irish Examiner is now Ireland’s oldest daily news title and has spent almost two centuries documenting the stories and events that have shaped Cork, Munster and Ireland. From reporting during the Great Famine and covering the arrival of the Titanic at Queenstown, to documenting major political, social and cultural change, Irish Examiner journalism has provided generations of readers with a record of life in Ireland. Its deep Cork roots have always been central to that story, before transatlantic telegraph communications Cork Examiner reporters even rowed out to liners arriving in Queenstown to gather international news before it reached many other European newspapers.

That tradition of journalism has continued through some of the most important stories in modern Ireland. Irish Examiner investigations have helped shine a light on the experiences of women and children in mother-and-baby homes, including significant reporting on Bessborough in Cork and previously unpublished concerns around infant deaths and State oversight. More recently, the Irish Examiner has continued to give survivors a platform to tell their stories and seek answers and accountability.

While the way audiences consume news has changed significantly over 185 years, the Irish Examiner has evolved with them. What began as a printed newspaper now reaches audiences across print, website, app, ePaper, newsletters, podcasts, video and social media, giving readers more ways to engage with Irish Examiner journalism throughout their day. The development of a digital subscription offering has been an important part of that evolution. More readers are now choosing to pay for and directly support Irish Examiner journalism, building a valuable and highly engaged subscriber audience alongside our wider digital readership. For the Examiner’s commercial teams and partners, that growth also creates more opportunities for advertisers to connect with Irish Examiner audiences across digital platforms as those relationships now extend far beyond the printed page.

At the heart of that relationship are the journalists, writers and contributors whose voices readers know and trust. Today, writers including Mick Clifford, Clodagh Finn, Michael Moynihan, Jennifer Horgan, Sarah Harte and Terry Prone bring expertise, analysis, personality and different perspectives to our journalism, alongside our reporting teams and specialist writers across news, sport, business, food, lifestyle and more.

While the channels have transformed, the principles behind the brand have remained remarkably consistent. Trust is central to the relationship the Irish Examiner has built with its audiences. Behind every story is an ongoing investment in professional journalism – interviewing, verifying facts, seeking comment, providing context, writing and editing before it reaches our readers. The anniversary is also a reminder of what an established and trusted media brand can offer advertisers; 185 years represents generations of audience relationships and trust, creating a quality editorial environment in which brands can reach people who actively choose to engage with Irish Examiner content.

As media habits continue to change, the Irish Examiner continues to change with them but it’s role in informing audiences, challenging perspectives, championing communities and telling the stories that matter remains at the heart of the brand.

185 years on, the Irish Examiner continues to offer a different perspective.