Nóirín Hegarty appointed Ireland editor of Times and Sunday Times

Nóirín Hegarty has been appointed editor of the Sunday Times newspaper in Ireland, staff were told on Wednesday.

The former editor of the Sunday Tribune and former vice-president of digital content for global travel publisher Lonely Planet, will take up the role of Ireland editor of the Times and the Sunday Times from November, according to publisher News UK & Ireland, which is part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

She succeeds Frank Fitzgibbon, who stepped down in late 2020 after 15 years.

Ms Hegarty's appointment was announced by Emma Tucker, editor of the Sunday Times in Britain.

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She will oversee the Dublin-based operation of the print and digital Sunday Times title as well as Times Ireland’s online content, “leading the newsroom’s move to digital-first publishing” and reporting to both Ms Tucker and Times editor John Witherow.

“I am delighted to get the opportunity to lead the Sunday Times and Times Ireland team at a very interesting time in the politics and current affairs of Ireland and Northern Ireland,” Ms Hegarty said.

Her return to the newspaper industry follows more than seven years in editorial and executive roles at Lonely Planet, during which time she spearheaded its digital strategy. This followed a period as editor of Independent.ie.

Ms Hegarty’s editorship of the Sunday Tribune ran from 2005 until the newspaper closed in February 2011, while she also previously served as deputy editor of the Evening Herald.

She chairs the tourism industry's Recovery Oversight Group in a voluntary capacity and also sits on the board of all-island agency Tourism Ireland, on the appointment of the North/South Ministerial Council, and plans to continue in both roles.