Scottish Catholic Observer

Scottish Catholic Observer
TypeNewspaper
Owner(s)The Catholic Herald
EditorPeter Diamond [1]
Founded1885
Ceased publication2020
Headquarters19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6BT
Websitewww.sconews.co.uk
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The Scottish Catholic Observer was Scotland's only national Catholic newspaper, founded in 1885. It ceased publication in 2020. It featured news of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland as well as regular international church news and reports from the Vatican. For most of the twenty-first century, it was owned by The Catholic Herald newspaper group.

Weekly editions contained local, national, and international news, opinion pages, letters, education news and reviews, in addition to regular reader competitions. The paper also listed births, deaths, and marriages across Scotland. Much of its exclusive news was later picked up by the mainstream media.[2]

The paper carried regular features on Scottish Catholic life and history, weekly columnists alongside an Ecumenical coverage which keeps readers up to date with Scottish Inter-Church dialogue and projects.

The Scottish Catholic Observer was redesigned and relaunched in 2008 with editor Liz Leydon, a former Scotsman journalist, and manager Rebecca Rigg.[3][4] In June 2016, deputy editor Ian Dunn took over as editor,[5] who was succeeded by his deputy Daniel Harkins in 2018.[6]

Notable former reporters include SNP MP Brendan O'Hara,[7] war correspondent Francis McCullagh,[8] and Kevin McKenna, columnist for The Observer and former deputy editor of The Herald and executive editor of the Daily Mail in Scotland.[9]

  1. ^ Purden, Richard (20 March 2018). "'Stop behaving like victims': Anti-Catholic sectarianism a thing of the past in Scotland, claims leading historian". The Irish Post. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  2. ^ Braiden, Gerry (19 March 2016). "Future of Scotland's only national Catholic newspaper in doubt as owners issue 'for sale' notice". The Herald. The Herald. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Scottish Catholic Observer to relaunch". Scottish Christian.com. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  4. ^ [1] Archived 30 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Scottish Catholic Observer staff list". sconews.co.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  6. ^ Purden, Richard (20 March 2018). "'Stop behaving like victims': Anti-Catholic sectarianism a thing of the past in Scotland, claims leading historian". The Irish Post. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Going to Westminster was the start of a new life for Argyll and Bute MP Brendan O'Hara". Helensburgh Advertiser. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  8. ^ Coffey, Jim (19 April 1985). "Writer of the War". No. 4097. Scottish Catholic Observer.
  9. ^ "The future of the Catholic press". Open House. Retrieved 16 February 2017.