“Lá Nua”, a new Irish language newspaper backed by the British and Irish governments through Fóras na Gaeilge (set up in the Good Friday Agreement) was launched in Dublin yesterday. The paper will replace Belfast paper “Lá”, and will be produced daily from West Belfast and the Donegal Gaeltacht.
Conna Lawlor has been made Chief Executive of the paper and at 26-is the youngest of her kind in any newspaper in Ireland.
“The Irish language media is stronger than ever before and we plan to complement the success of TG4, Raidió na Gaeltachta and Foinse with a bright, dynamic daily paper as Gaeilge,” she said.
The paper is also offering podcasts and entries on YouTube which is hoped will attract young Irish speakers.
“Lá Nua will appeal to the growing interest in Irish among young people and will offer a compelling internet proposition with daily podcasts, a downloadable version of the entire paper every day and even video-newsclips”, said Lawlor.
Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Éamon Ó Cúiv was at the paper’s launch at the Davenport Hotel in Merrion Square yesterday and commended the new paper for its technological advances.
“This shows the great progress being made by the Irish language media and the understanding that Lá Nua has of the modern society in which Irish speakers live today”, he said.
