Daily Irish Independent

First issue of the Irish Independent--Jan 2, 1905

The Daily Irish Independent was an Irish newspaper launched in the 1890s to promote the pro-Parnellite cause following the split in the Irish Parliamentary Party^[1] over Parnell's continuing leadership. The party had split following the revelation that Parnell had been involved in a long-running relationship with Katherine O'Shea, the wife of a fellow MP, and was the father of most of her children.^[2]

The leading Irish nationalist newspaper, the Freeman's Journal, sides with the majority anti-Parnellite side. The Daily Irish Independent was launched to promote the cause of the deposed IPP leader.

Post Factions

In 1900, the IPP's factions made peace. Following a change of ownership to William Martin Murphy,^[3] and in the belief that the healing of wounds removed the need for pro- and anti-Parnellite papers, the paper was reinvented as the Irish Independent,^[4] with Tim Harrington as editor. On January 2, 1905 the new paper was launched.

References

1. "Charles Parnell (1846 - 1891)". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
2. "Charles Stewart Parnell and Katherine O'Shea". www.steyningmuseum.org. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
3. "Irish Independent and Sunday Independent". www.irishnewsarchive.com. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
4. "independent". www.independent.ie. Retrieved 13 December 2012.