I know the Belfast Telegraph isn't as on the ball as it used to be but even so, how's this for being late with the news? It ran a story yesterday which began:
"Northern Ireland's only Irish language daily newspaper is to close with the loss of eight jobs, it was announced today."
Excuse me? Announced today? On October 24, I ran an item here headlined Irish language paper to close based on a blog posting by Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, the publisher of Lá Nua.
Aside from the Bel Tel's tardiness, it is sad to record Lá Nua's demise with Friday's issue after 24 years following the withdrawal of official funding. Even worse, O Muilleoir's sensible proposal to provide an online service at reduced cost was rejected by the all-Ireland sponsoring body, Foras na Gaeilge.
Eights jobs, including those of four journalists, will be lost. Lá Nua was launched in 1984 to capitalise on the growing number of people in West Belfast and further afield who have been learning Irish.
