Noel Doran: Longest serving daily newspaper editor in UK and Ireland prepares to step down

Noel Doran has been at the helm of the Northern Ireland-based daily newspaper the Irish News for 25 years.

He will depart the post early next year having overseen the production of more than 7,000 editions of the paper, but is set to continue a close association with the paper.

Mr Doran first joined the Irish News in 1993 and was appointed editor in 1999.

During his tenure the paper has scooped scores of UK and regional awards in recognition of its "consistent top-level content", while Mr Doran was himself voted regional editor of the century in 2020 by readers of the Hold The Front Page website.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Mr Doran has played a pivotal role in shaping the predominantly nationalist newspaper's editorial direction. He became editor shortly after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, and as a result, the ups and downs of Stormont and devolution and the ramifications for his readership have been an overarching theme for him.

Dominic Fitzpatrick, chief executive, IntoMedia Group said: "It has been a privilege to work alongside him and I am certain he will look back on his extensive track record here with a sense of enormous pride."

Mr Doran commented: "It has been a great honour to edit The Irish News for the last quarter of a century and help to chronicle the changes which have swept across our society since the Good Friday Agreement.

"I have been very fortunate to work with many outstanding journalists who have rightly earned the trust of our loyal readers, and I am particularly grateful for the unstinting support of our chief executive Dominic Fitzpatrick, and his late father, our chairman Jim Fitzpatrick, throughout my time with the paper."

Head of Journalism at Ulster University Leona O'Neill, who worked for the Irish News under his editorship, said: “[He was] the opposite of the shouty, angry editors you'd see in the movies. Calm, no matter the challenge, witty, measured, reserved, a fountain of knowledge. What a legacy he leaves. Very best of luck for next chapter, Noel.”