Magill was an Irish politics and current affairs magazine founded by Vincent Browne and others in 1977. Magill specialised in investigative articles and colourful reportage by journalists such as Eamonn McCann and Gene Kerrigan. It was relaunched in 2004 after an earlier closure before closing again in 2009.
Berry diaries
It first achieved a nationwide profile when it published the diaries of Peter Berry, the former Secretary to the Department of Justice in which he alleged that former TaoiseachJack Lynch had been less than forthright publicly about the truth surrounding the 1970 Arms Crisis which brought down two ministers, including Charles Haughey. In the 1980s as Ireland underwent rapid political change it became the major Irish magazine covering politics.
Changes in editor
Browne later appointed a series of editors with him becoming managing editor. Its early editors included Fintan O'Toole, John Waters and Colm Tóibín. However clashes of personalities with Browne led each editor in turn to quit the post as did one of its major writers Gene Kerrigan.
Closures and relaunches
Magill ceased publication for a period in the 1990s before returning in 1997 as a joint effort between Browne and Michael O' Doherty, publisher of VIP Magazine. Its editors in its second incarnation included John Ryan, Emily O'Reilly, Kevin Rafter, Eamon Delaney and Niall Stanage. The magazine was sold by Browne in the early 2000s. It was acquired by Ian Hyland who had previously acquired Business & Finance. The title was re-opened under a new editor Eamon Delaney and deputy editor Andrew Lynch in November 2004. Whereas the earlier Magill was famously populist and leaned to the left, often carrying photographs of politicians with accusatory banner headlines, the new Magill published reviews, commentaries, analysis, book reviews and business reports as well as a broader range of articles than were found in Browne's fortnightly version. The new magazine was more right-of-centre than earlier versions. The re-launch was viewed with particular relish in the world of political journalism because Magill was seen as the centrist answer to The Village, edited by Vincent Browne, the one-time editor of Magill. Upon becoming editor, Delaney told The Sunday Times that, "I respect the hard Irish left but it's the woolly liberal consensus of The Irish Times and RTÉ I have a problem with... They have this raft of outdated orthodoxies: the Americans are bad, the Israelis are evil, travellers are our greatest problem. One in three Irish people is supposed to be living in poverty and Vincent will, no doubt, interview them all." Having dropped to an officially bi-monthly publication schedule in 2008, the magazine once again ceased publication in mid-2009 due to a lack of advertising as a result of the recession.
Browne regains control in 2017
In April 2017 it was announced that Vincent Browne had regained control of the Magill title, after purchasing it from Business and Finance publisher Ian Hyland. The plan is to have a relaunched print edition initially of one off specials, as well as online content.
