THE RELIGIOUS magazine the Word, which 30 years ago was read by nearly one-quarter of a million people including the Irish abroad, has literally printed its last word.
The last print-run of the Wordmissionary magazine took place this week in Drogheda, Co Louth, and closes a chapter in Ireland's religious and social history. Its decline appears to reflect the drop-off in practising Catholics. The Divine Word Missionaries have decided to cease publishing.
The Wordwas founded in England in 1936 and suspended during the second World War. It returned as a pictorial and general-interest Catholic magazine in Ireland in 1953. Circulation peaked at 260,000 in 1970 - of which 170,000 was in Ireland and Britain, 50,000 in the US, 30,000 in Australia and 10,000 elsewhere.However, by 1998, this had dropped to 30,000. In December last year, it was down to 17,000. "One reason for this is that people who no longer go to Mass on Sundays are unlikely to buy Catholic magazines on Mondays," said Br Paul Hurley, who edited it for 40 years.
"The feedback we have had to our closure has been one of devastation. One man who lost his wife would go out and sell it and promote it and it was a social outlet for him. In the past, people had time like that," explained current and final editor Sarah MacDonald.
The magazine, which tried to be less pious than others, was once sold outside every church. It was posted by Irish mothers to children who had emigrated.
The final Wordis also published online and includes an interview with Brian Friel from 1970, in addition to previously published articles by Graham Greene, Patrick Kavanagh and Michael Mac Liammóir.