The secret is out-  a new version of Irish language newspaper, Foinse, will be available in print again as of  tomorrow morning, 18 November as the newspaper is set to be distributed every Wednesday free in the Irish Independent. 

The new version of Foinse will have a younger fresher slant and will have a readership of over 555.000 readers in Ireland and Northern Ireland according to Emer Ní Chéidigh, editor of the newspaper. So what can readers expect in the new supplement? Will the same level of importance be attached to Gaeltacht and current affairs in the newspaper’s new guise? 

Yes is the short answer given by Emer who says that news, television ,music, fashion as well as Gaeltacht and regional stories will be contained in the paper. Initially the paper will  have 24 pages and will appear in full colour print but may be extended in the future.Who will write for the new paper?  Emer has revealed that  Mike P Ó Conaola, Hector and Daithí Ó Sé will all write columns for the paper.

Other writers are yet to be confirmed  but she said that various sporting personalities would also write for the paper as will the athlete David Gillick. Since we were talking to Emer it has come to light that TG4 personalities, Blathnaid Ní Dhonncha from Passion Fashion fame as well as Gemma Ní Chionnaith who presents Géill Slí on Radio na Gaeltachta will also write for Foinse. Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge has also announced that the gaelport.com staff will compile a page in the supplement  which will cover stories from the voluntary sector.

The editor hopes to attract language learners and younger readers to the newspaper. Foinse hopes to provide Foinse in the Rang as per usual for Leaving Cert Students but a new supplement Foinse Óg will support primary school student’s needs and a new page targeting adult learners of the language is also set to appear in the new revised  and refreshed Foinse.And If the newspaper succeeds does she  think it will ever be published independently of the Independent Group? It’s a great opportunity she explains.

It will be free and will have a wider distribution than any other Irish language newspaper. It’s  great  news for the Irish language she says with over 155,00 copies sold every Wednesday and over 555,000 readers of the Irish Independent.However it appears that the Board of Foras na Gaeilge are currently considering applications for the tender of a new weekly newspaper and that a decision on the newspaper may be made later on this week on 20th November.

So does she think that 2 Irish language newspapers can survive considering the closure of various newspapers over the years and given the current climate?  Emer hopes so. She says that the two newspapers will be covering different stories and that they will hope to attract readers to the Irish language with well-known columnists and with a younger perspective as well as an emphasis on various sectors.

Even though a staff of five is employed by the newspaper including Emer as editor, the newspaper will depend on freelance journalists in various areas. She welcomes  new writers and journalists to submit articles for her consideration.Foinse will be distributed in the Irish Independent every Wednesday.

Further information on the website www.foinse.ie