TheCopyboys

MR HACK NO 38

HACKS 'R US!
THERE'S NO MONEY IN JOURNALISM. That's a common remark these days. And, according to the trade press, there's little money in newspapers, what with the economic downturn and fall-off in advertising and so on. All this doesn't stop the Sunday Times including Lord Kilclooney, aka John Taylor, among a list of Britain and Ireland's  richest men, just published. They claim he and his wife are worth £75 million from their majority shareholding in the Alpha chain of weekly newspapers and property.  However, John comes in at just No 132 among Ireland's Top 250 richest. And he just fails to make it into Britain's top 2,000 richest, where the cut-off point is £80 million. So let's hope  the newspaper business takes an upswing!

Mr Hack No 37

COPYBOYS - THE MUSICAL!!
HEADING FOR FAME? A number of Copyboys met recently with a writer after speculation that TheCopyboys concept could be fictionalised. The original    idea was for a book. But later the idea of a screenplay arose, and later still it was mooted that it could be transformed into a musical. This would be set in a residential home for retired journalists somewhere in Ireland. A treatment is being worked on, but the idea appears to be that the journalists are still lively and cover stories on a freelance basis, thereby allowing for a variety of locations. The home location would be used as a base for the storyline as they argue about stories and sometimes relive their greatest adventures, some of them in song. More about all this anon. Meantime, while professionals will play the parts, which of TheCopyboys pictured (click to enlarge) do you think could have been cast had they been capable, and in what roles?  One of the central characters in an editor figure, PJ McGinty.

MR HACK - NO 36

 HACKS 'R' US!
THE DANGERS OF DRINK. Journalists have always been in the forefront of warning about the dangers of drink. This piece of journalism, from the Enniskillen Chronicle & Erne Packet, Jan 8th 1824 illustrates the hazards. (Picture on left is of Impartial  Reporter office, the only Fermanagh one our Head of Archives could find)
MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.--On the night of Tuesday the 30th ult. two men from Ballintra conveying illicit spirits to some part of this county, in order to avoid passing through Pettigo, took another direction by which they were obliged to cross the river that runs through that town, at some distance from it. They both entered the river together, but the stream being extremely rapid, and the night dark, one of them, named James M'Gowan, from his horse stumbling, was unfortunately swept from beside his comrade, and precipitated down the river.--After a diligent search his body was found next evening at the entrance of the River into Lough Erne. He has left a wife and six small children to lament his loss.--About two hours after the unfortunate accident, the horse was found at the shore with his load of whiskey under him.

MR HACK No. 35

When you BUY your Books, new or secondhand, through this site from AMAZON, TheCopyboys site gets a few pence because you clicked through from here. That's a way to HELP the site, which is non-profitmaking, to CONTINUE. Same goes for DVDs, CDs etc. Please SUPPORT.
People sometimes ask why we call ourselves TheCopyboys. Politically incorrect? Well, in Our Day  there weren't any Copygirls. But there were a few women journalists. Diane Harron-Eakin is one of our members; we wish there were more. On the left is an image of another famous local woman journalist. Click to enlarge. We're doing our best!

This is just a building in Frances Street, Newtownards circa 1950s. But no ordinary building this, but one where our esteemed Chairman cut his journalistic teeth! The "Newtownards Spectator" is no longer there. Clicking to enlarge shows what appear to be editorial offices upstairs, but the downstairs display window seems bereft of material. Brown's grocers is next door. Note the lack of cars.

MR HACK NO 34

HACKS 'R US   FOURTH YEAR, STILL HERE   HACKS 'R US
Copyboys at Europa
Guest of Honour: Ian Sanderson

A gaggle of Copyboys gathered at the Europa Hotel to welcome Copyboy Ian Sanderson on a visit home from Australia. Sadly, Ian, ex-Larne Times, Belfast Telegraph, and former News Editor at UTV, had been here for a family funeral: that of his sister-in-law, widow of the late Dave Hanna, ex-Larne Times, Bel Tel and police press.  However, he was able to stay on a few extra days and meet up with Eddie McIlwaine, Robin Walsh, Fred Hoare, Stanley Matchett, Billy Simpson and GMcKenzie. (Click on the pix for larger detail)

MR HACK - 33

                                    HACKS 'R' US!
                                                                                 (FOURTH YEAR!)

HERE'S A GUY YOU MIGHT KNOW. All right, it's got nothing to do with journalism. But most of us are of a certain vintage and perhaps he was, at least to some of us, what John Lennon became to some of our younger colleagues.
BUDDY HOLLY
This month sees the 49th anniversary of his death of February 3, 1959. Yes 49, believe it or not! Just like JFK, 9/11, or John Lennon most of us can remember where we were when we heard the news.
 

MR HACK No. 32 - FOURTH YEAR!

THIS BROADBAND THING:  Chairman of TheCopyboys, Mr B Simpson, who has been chronicling his attempts to install a broadband connection on his computer, demonstrates in this photograph just how big he expects broadband to be. Further bulletins in this saga will be issued at regular intervals. (ps: where can I buy a typewriter ribbon?)

                       A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

- from us
    

- and from them! (no, don't click to enlarge)

Mr Hack 31

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL COPYBOYS!                         (Hacks 'R' Us!)

WHO IS THIS CHAP? Albeit looking somewhat like a country gentleman, he has, nevertheless, considerable connection with the journalistic trade. Not seen around much locally in recent times, admittedly, but  has obviously prospered.  Click on the picture and savour the detail.

JOURNALIST SAVAGED BY LION!!  EXCLUSIVE PICTURE.WAVE YOUR CURSOR OVER THIS PICTURE, CLICK TO ENLARGE....
AND JUDGE FOR YOURSELF!  IS BILLY SIMPSON BEING ATTACKED BY THE LION? (YOU MIGHT HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN ON THE PIC TO GET THE DETAIL)

MR HACK - 30

  HACKS ' R' US!

Download leslie_mills.tif  Click on this for a cutting from the Sunday News from the late 1960s.

We don't seem to get many reminiscinces about that paper.

WHO IS THIS YOUNG MAN? He made an impact on Belfast journalism and went on to win awards.
With his Elvis-style quiff - and what sort of a jacket is that he's wearing? - he certainly developed into a first-class newspaperman.
He worked on more than one newspaper - this picture was taken at one of them in the 1960s - and happily he's still with us. And your guess is.......?

 

 

MR HACK - 29

                                                         

HACKS 'R US!


WHAT'S IT'S LIKE TO BE THE EDITOR OF A COUNTRY WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN NORTHERN IRELAND THESE DAYS?
Terence Bowman occupies that position on the "Mourne Observer" one of the few remaining independent family-owned weeklies in the Province. Now 50, he's worked on the paper all his professional life.
Recently he was interviewed by the monthly magazine "AgendaNI"  See what you think.