Sunday Independent editor Alan English has stepped down from his role, following a personal commitment to give himself five years at the helm of the title.
News of his unexpected departure reached staff at Mediahuis via email on Tuesday morning.
Mr English said his decision was based on “personal reasons” and later clarified it was unrelated to health issues or anything behind the scenes.
“I decided quite some time ago that I felt five years would be a good stint for me. I’ve been getting tremendous reaction from it, lots of supportive messages, a lot concern as well,” he said.
“This thing about me leaving for personal reasons – some people seemed to think I might have some health issues but that is absolutely not the case.”
Mr English (59) was previously group editorial director at regional media group Iconic Newspapers, and a former editor of the Limerick Leader.
He began his role at the Sunday Independent in March, 2020, one week after the Covid-19 lockdown began. He was forced to spend his first four months working from home.
He later relocated to Dublin and spent his time working between the capital and Limerick.
“I’ve done 17 years in Sunday newspapers which basically means you don’t have any weekends,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed it massively, there’s a brilliant team in the Sunday Independent, it’s been a huge joy and huge privilege but I feel like I’ve given it a decent shot.”
Mr English said he had decided form the outset to limit his time in the editor’s chair.
“I’m pleased to have been able to go out on my own terms as well. I became an editor in 2007 at the Limerick Leader and I’ve seen so many editors being pushed out due to the challenging nature of the industry,” he said.
“It has caused quite a bit of surprise, there’s no doubt it has taken my colleagues by surprise. And journalists being journalists, maybe there’s a suspicion that there is something more behind this but there actually isn’t. I’ve had a very good relationship with people in Mediahuis and I’m leaving on very good terms.”
Mr English will remain in situ until the end of April and said he had no immediate plans other than to take some time out.
Of the declining print newspaper industry, he said papers such as the Sunday Independent would likely be among the last standing.
“I think it’s got a lot of years ahead of it. I don’t think it will be the same five section newspaper it is now in ten years’ time but I absolutely believe it will still be in the market.”
Mediahuis Ireland’s editor-in-chief Cormac Bourke said Mr English had held a key role through an unprecedented period of change and challenge in Irish journalism.
“His passion for journalism and for the Sunday Independent has been clear in his tireless work over the past five years,” he said in a statement reported by the Irish Independent.
“We are sorry to see him step away and we wish Alan every success in the future.”
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