Irish journalist is new editor of 'Observer'

Dublin-born journalist John Mulholland is to become the editor of the Observer newspaper next January.

Mr Mulholland (44), from Ranelagh, has been deputy editor of the Observersince 1998 and was responsible for developing the paper's award-winning monthly magazines: Observer Food Monthly, Observer Music Monthlyand Observer Sport Monthly.

He takes over from Roger Alton, who at 60 is stepping down as editor after almost 10 years. One of the few Irish editors of a British title, Mulholland follows in the footsteps of Conor Cruise O'Brien who edited the Observerbetween 1979 and 1981.

Mulholland started work as an arts assistant on the British Independentin 1987 and moved to the London Daily Newsthe following year, writing about film, before becoming deputy editor of Listings Limited, an independent company that provided arts and entertainment listings to various papers. He joined the Guardianarts desk in 1990, writing and editing for the section, and in 1994 became media editor of the Guardian.

Mulholland was educated at Dublin City University and at California State University in Sacramento.