It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair...”
Belfast in 1972 was all these things and more. It was the Citadel of unionist power and the home to the dispossesed and powerless, hub of the oppressor and home of the oppressed. West Belfast, having been on the receiving end of the state’s brutal response to the modest campaign for civil rights, was awash with energy, sedition and rebelliousness.
Defence Committees, People’s Councils, self-help, a burgeoning Gaeltacht and much more besides was adding to the growing nationalist confidence that the old order was tottering.
We remained voiceless, however, until along came a handful of community activists who were determined that our voice be heard and so was born the Andersonstown News – soon to be dubbed ‘the Andytown’ by the teams of men, women and children who flogged it from door to door.
Armed with the proceeds from the Barleycorn hit song ‘The Men Behind the Wire’, and with whatever money they could scrape together, Basil McLaughlin, a keen golfer and jazz enthusiast, but an even more ardent champion of justice and rights, joined forces with three others and got the show on the road.
They began a journey which has spanned 50 years and which has witnessed the transformation of this city which would have its 1972 unionist elite apoplectic with rage. ‘72 was in many ways, the spring of hope and the winter of despair. In early January seven republican POWs swam to freedom from the prison ship Maidstone but, hot on the heels of this morale boost, the Paratroopers slaughtered the innocent in Derry.
In March there was jubilation as Faulkner and his Unionist Party were dumped and Stormont was prorogued, but hot on the heels of this came Operation Motorman and the wholescale British Army invasion of nationalist areas. It was a topsy-turvy year, a horrendous year, and by its end almost 500 people had died and almost 5,000 had been injured in the conflict.
Through it all the Andersonstown News bore witness and reported the truth and not the distortions of the mainstream media which so angered us all. This was a paper of the people, by the people and for the people. My first encounter with the paper was when I saw the people of the Shaws Road Gaeltacht sell it from door to door.
Caitlín Mistéil, who worked in our local shop, was always sure to give the paper a plug and soon our home had its weekly dose of the ‘Andytown’ and the ‘Rep’ News and often a copy of the Tatler and the Óglach as well. From those humble beginnings, Basil and his team were to grow a community enterprise totalling almost 60 staff by the time of Basil’s death in 2010.
Andersonstown News Deputy Editor Jake Mac Siacais welcomes Native American rights campaigner Clyde Bellecourt to our office in 2003 
Little did I think at the time that I would eventually end up putting in a five-year stint at the paper as Deputy Editor. That stint began when Máirtín Ó Muilleoir approached me at the end of 1999 and asked me if I’d be willing to take on the role, with responsibility for setting up its new Monday edition. Máirtín’s offer was a big challenge.
It could have been made much worse, had the threatened millennium bug wreaked its prophesied havoc. Thankfully, the dire warnings were as far off the mark as were the warnings from the evangelic zealot in Cornmarket, who had been telling me all my life that ‘the end is nigh’.
Our Monday team, which began before the advent of screen to plate technology, had a steep learning curve, but it was eased considerably by the North Belfast News crew who had lots of support and advice to offer.
Our team consisted of Sports Editor John Martin, photographer Mal McCann and Newry journalist Seánín Graham. John would end up as hurling correspondent for Gaelic Life, before moving on to the Education Authority. Mal and Seánín would both end up at the Irish News.
Back in 2000 we were all in each other’s company from 8am until 11pm and many times much later. Seánín was a wonderful worker and a great colleague, who put her whole effort into her work.
She went on to make herself a solid career as Health Correspondent at the Irish News before moving on in recent months to become the Irish Times Northern Correspondent. I made some very good friends during my time in the A’town and like many I have my own memories of the paper.
Among our core crew were John Martin and John Ferris as well as Maria McCourt, Thomas McMullan and Barry McCaffrey from the North Belfast News.
The friendship lasts right up to the present. I also have very fond memories of Shelly Loughran, Brónach Ní Tuama, Bríd McIlhatton, Kevin McCabe, Kieran Sloan and Anthony Neeson. Hard to believe the paper is 50.
Go máire sé an céad!
JAKE MAC SIACAIS was Deputy Editor from 2010-2015
