The Derry Journal newspaper turns a remarkable 250 years old — sister paper to the world’s oldest daily, the News Letter at 285

But we are not the only title in Northern Ireland to have been both founded in the 1700s and still in publication today – the Derry Journal is another.

The twice weekly paper turned 250 today (Friday June 3 2022).

It is a sister paper of the News Letter because we both share the same owner, National World (one of whose founders is the Bangor man David Montgomery, a newspaper entrepreneur now based in London).

The Belfast News Letter and General Advertiser was founded in September 1737 (precise day of that month unknown) and will turn 285 in the autumn (scroll down for links about our anniversaries).

The first edition of the Londonderry Journal and General Advertiser was produced on June 3 1772.

That makes it older than even The Times (of London), which first hit the streets in 1785.

Thus the News Letter and Derry Journal (as it has long been styled) were both around to report the July 4 1776 Declaration of Independence but The Times was not, despite also being a very old newspaper (most of the major newspapers of 2022 were founded in the 1800s or early 1900s).

The Londonderry Journal and General Advertiser was first published by George Douglas.

The current Derry Journal editor, Brendan McDaid, explains that Mr Douglas, a Presbyterian, worked at a printing house in Dublin before coming to Londonderry. He took an office in James Blythe’s book shop in The Diamond and the ‘Journal’ was born under its original masthead on June 3, 1772.

The paper appeared, as it still does, on a biweekly basis. Set as a four page tabloid it sold for a penny. Douglas charged subscriptions at six shillings (6s.) and six pennies (6d.) for readers in Londonderry, 7s. and 7d. for those within 15 miles of the city, 8s. and 8d. for those within 25 miles and 9s. and 9d. for those living up to 40 miles away.

By the early 19th century, the journal’s editorial policy became increasingly concerned with wider issues and it supported Catholic emancipation, a move which prompted then journal editor William Wallen to resign in protest in 1829 and set up the Londonderry Sentinel with others.

The paper adopted an overtly nationalist stance over the decades that followed and the ‘London’ prefix was dropped entirely in around 1880.

The paper has remained the Derry Journal ever since.

This political journey, from what might be described as British unionist (although the Londonderry Journal was in fact launched prior to the extension of the Act of Union to Ireland in 1801) to Irish nationalist is almost the opposite of the News Letter.

It is often said that the News Letter had a radical heritage and became conservative and unionist. The former stance has been exaggerated because the earliest Belfast News Letters, decades before the Act of Union, do not in fact have a clear editorial line and seem uncritical of the British link.

But it is true that members of the founder Francis Joy’s family (he was born in the 1690s) went on to support the United Irishmen in the 1790s, and his grandson Henry Joy McCracken was hanged in central Belfast in 1798, close to the then offices of the newspaper.

It was in the 1800s that the paper became distinctly unionist.

The Londonderry Journal founder Mr Douglas later settled in the United States with his family joining there and he set up newspapers for the Irish diaspora there, but none fared as well as his first venture back in Ulster.

He returned home for long spells on several occasions and also wrote a book to mark the centenary of the 1688 Siege of Derry .

Brendan McDaid tells the News Letter: “We are delighted to have reached this milestone and have marked the occasion with a special edition of the paper and an exhibition at Foyleside Shopping Centre.

“The journal is the second oldest newspaper on the island of Ireland, with the News Letter — which is also under the ownership of National World — being the oldest.

“We are part of the social fabric and cultural heritage of the North West region, having brought the world to the people of Derry, Donegal and Tyrone for generations and showcased local people, events and culture to the world.

“Those of us entrusted with that legacy are determined to ensure its preservation and endeavour to continue serving the north west region and our wider audience for generations to come.”

Story from 2020: The Belfast News Letter is 283 years old today, the oldest English language daily newspaper in the world

Ben Lowry in 2021: A belated happy 284th birthday to ourselves at the News Letter