Irish Times journalist recalls learning her trade in our Santry newsroom

I WORKED for the Dublin People newspaper group for five years beginning in 2000. It was my first reporting job having taken up journalism as a mature student. And it was probably one of the best newsrooms in the country to learn the trade because it was so open to encouraging those starting out. Right from the beginning, when I walked into the office upstairs in the Omni Park Shopping Centre, I knew it was a great place to work. There was always a friendly atmosphere, advice when it was needed, and generosity about sharing contacts.

Of course, like any workplace, there were disagreements too and I remember in particular tensions around who would get Jack Gleeson’s hand-me-down computer when he got an upgrade. As the computer whizz of the newsroom, he of course got the newest first!

I worked for Southside People, under then editor Ken Finlay, for most of my time with the group. His encyclopaedic knowledge of Dublin, superior moustache and crossword setting skills were legendary.

Siobhan Maguire, now with the Sunday Times, and Melanie Finn of the Evening Herald, were both in the newsroom during my time.

I have a feeling all three of us may have posed some challenges to the ever-calm managing editor Tony McCullagh.

Happy 25th birthday, Northside People – and here’s to many more.

?¢ Fiona Gartland is a journalist with the Irish Times.