Belfast, Northern Ireland | October 6, 2025 — The Irish News has announced a series of strategic editorial and marketing appointments as part of its continued transformation toward a digital-first publishing model, while building on its long-standing print legacy.
According to the publication, these new hires bring “added expertise across marketing, audience insight, and content creation,” aligning with its commitment to trusted journalism, subscriber growth, and audience engagement across platforms.
Strengthening Leadership and Editorial Vision
The newsroom gains new leadership under Aeneas Bonner, who assumes the role of Deputy Editor after 26 years with The Irish News. Bonner will work closely with the Editor-in-Chief to advance the paper’s transformation strategy and uphold its tradition of credible journalism.
Helen McGurk, newly appointed Weekend Editor, will oversee weekend editions across print and digital, developing agenda-setting coverage that aligns with reader interests and habits.
Meanwhile, Conor Sheils and Hannah Patterson join the team as news journalists, contributing quality reporting across digital and print platforms.
Driving Digital Expansion and Audience Growth
Gareth Fullerton steps in as Deputy Digital Editor, bringing years of digital publishing experience to enhance seven-day newsroom operations and boost online audience engagement.
Kathryn McKenna, appointed Audience Editor, will lead strategies to expand reach and optimize content performance through analytics-based insights.
On the visual front, Dylan Hegarty takes on the role of Video Editor, responsible for shaping The Irish News’s video storytelling across short-form, long-form, and live formats.
Marketing and Subscriptions at the Core of Growth
Leading the marketing front, Rachel Bolton joins as Marketing and Subscriptions Manager, bringing strong expertise in digital marketing and subscriber retention. She will drive campaigns to increase subscription conversion rates, strengthen CRM systems, and enhance the digital reader journey through targeted on-site messaging.
Together, these appointments mark a significant milestone for The Irish News as it accelerates its digital subscriber strategy while retaining its strong local roots.
Leadership Vision: Investing in People and the Future
Editor-in-Chief Chris Sherrard emphasized that the new appointments “underline our focus on serving readers with trusted, high-quality journalism wherever they choose to engage with us.”
He added, “With added expertise across marketing, audience insight, and content creation, we are well placed to continue building strong relationships with readers and growing our subscription base.”
Dominic Fitzpatrick, CEO of IntoMedia Group, described the move as a long-term investment in sustainable growth:
“By strengthening our editorial and marketing capabilities, we are ensuring The Irish News remains the leading regional daily in the UK and Ireland — positioned for growth not just today, but for the future.”
About The Irish News
Part of IntoMedia Group, The Irish News remains one of Northern Ireland’s best-selling regional daily newspapers, employing over 80 professionals across editorial, technology, commercial, and marketing divisions — all united under a mission to build a sustainable future for trusted journalism.
