{{Short description|Newspaper}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}} {{Use British English|date=July 2015}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = Scottish Catholic Observer | image = Front_page_of_the_Scottish_Catholic_Observer_03_March_2017.jpg | type = Newspaper | owners = ''The Catholic Herald'' | editor = Peter Diamond <ref>{{cite news|last1=Purden|first1=Richard|title='Stop behaving like victims': Anti-Catholic sectarianism a thing of the past in Scotland, claims leading historian|url=https://www.irishpost.com/news/stop-behaving-like-victims-anti-catholic-sectarianism-a-thing-of-the-past-in-scotland-claims-leading-historian-151950|accessdate=1 April 2018|publisher=The Irish Post|date=20 March 2018}}</ref> | founded = 1885 | price = £1 | ceased_publication = 2020 | headquarters = 19 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 6BT | website = {{URL|http://www.sconews.co.uk/}} }}

The '''''Scottish Catholic Observer''''' was Scotland's only national Catholic newspaper, founded in 1885. It ceased publication in 2020. It featured news of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland as well as regular international church news and reports from the Vatican. For most of the twenty-first century, it was owned by ''The Catholic Herald'' newspaper group.

Weekly editions contained local, national, and international news, opinion pages, letters, education news and reviews, in addition to regular reader competitions. The paper also listed births, deaths, and marriages across Scotland. Much of its exclusive news was later picked up by the mainstream media.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Braiden|first1=Gerry|title=Future of Scotland's only national Catholic newspaper in doubt as owners issue 'for sale' notice|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14370136.Future_of_Scotland_s_only_national_Catholic_newspaper_in_doubt_as_owners_issue__for_sale__notice/|accessdate=2 April 2017|work=The Herald|publisher=The Herald|date=19 March 2016}}</ref>

The paper carried regular features on Scottish Catholic life and history, weekly columnists alongside an Ecumenical coverage which keeps readers up to date with Scottish Inter-Church dialogue and projects.

The ''Scottish Catholic Observer'' was redesigned and relaunched in 2008 with editor Liz Leydon, a former Scotsman journalist, and manager Rebecca Rigg.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scottishchristian.com/monitor/scottish-catholic-observer-to-relaunch/|title=Scottish Catholic Observer to relaunch|work=Scottish Christian.com|accessdate=24 October 2014}}</ref><ref>[http://www.archdiocese-edinburgh.com/documents/RELAUNCHOFSCOTTISHCATHOLICOBSERVER_13Jun08.pdf] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230100912/http://www.archdiocese-edinburgh.com/documents/RELAUNCHOFSCOTTISHCATHOLICOBSERVER_13Jun08.pdf|date=30 December 2008}}</ref> In June 2016, deputy editor Ian Dunn took over as editor,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sconews.co.uk/contact/|title=Scottish Catholic Observer staff list|work=sconews.co.uk|accessdate=22 November 2016}}</ref> who was succeeded by his deputy Daniel Harkins in 2018.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Purden|first1=Richard|title='Stop behaving like victims': Anti-Catholic sectarianism a thing of the past in Scotland, claims leading historian|url=https://www.irishpost.com/news/stop-behaving-like-victims-anti-catholic-sectarianism-a-thing-of-the-past-in-scotland-claims-leading-historian-151950|accessdate=1 April 2018|publisher=The Irish Post|date=20 March 2018}}</ref>

Notable former reporters include SNP MP Brendan O'Hara,<ref>{{cite news|title=Going to Westminster was the start of a new life for Argyll and Bute MP Brendan O'Hara|url=http://www.helensburghadvertiser.co.uk/news/14525612.Going_to_Westminster_was_the_start_of_a_new_life_for_Argyll_and_Bute_MP_Brendan_O__39_Hara/|accessdate=16 February 2017|publisher=Helensburgh Advertiser}}</ref> war correspondent Francis McCullagh,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Coffey|first1=Jim|title=Writer of the War|issue=4097|publisher=Scottish Catholic Observer|date=19 April 1985}}</ref> and Kevin McKenna, columnist for ''The Observer'' and former deputy editor of ''The Herald'' and executive editor of the ''Daily Mail'' in Scotland.<ref>{{cite web|title=The future of the Catholic press|url=http://www.openhousescotland.co.uk/future-catholic-press/|website=Open House|accessdate=16 February 2017}}</ref>

==History==

The ''Scottish Catholic Observer'' was created in 1885 as the '''''Glasgow Observer'''''. Its first edition was published on 18 April 1885 by the Glasgow Publishing Company at 58 Renfield Street, Glasgow.<ref>{{cite web|title=Scottish Catholic Observer About Page|url=http://www.sconews.co.uk/about/|website=Scottish Catholic Observer|accessdate=2 April 2017}}</ref> It was shortly afterwards bought by Irishman Charles Diamond, who would use it and the Preston-based ''Catholic News'' as the basis of ''The Catholic Herald''.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Catholic press in the UK|url=http://www.thecatholicuniverse.com/history-of-the-uk-catholic-press-397|website=Catholic Universe|accessdate=2 April 2017}}{{dead link|date=December 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The newspaper's early years were overseen by the Glasgow-born managing editor David John Mitchell Quin, who was recruited by Charles Diamond from the English-based ''Catholic Times''.

In the twenty first century it was owned by ''The Catholic Herald'' newspaper group, but in March 2016 the newspaper was put up for sale by its owners for a reported fee of £350,000.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McKenna|first1=Kevin|title=Bitter struggle to save the Scottish Catholic Observer|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/03/struggle-to-save-scottish-catholic-observer|accessdate=2 April 2017|work=The Guardian|date=3 April 2016}}</ref>

In March 2020, the paper ceased publication at the time of the first national COVID-19 lockdown, which also saw churches closed. The company was wound up in December of that year.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Keenan|first=Bishop John|date=8 May 2021|title=Bishop John Keenan|website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/BishopJohnKeenanPaisley/photos/a.831450210226177/3867274816643686/?type=3}}</ref>

==Editors== :Peter Diamond (2019-2020) :Daniel Harkins (2018–2019)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Purden|first1=Richard|title='Stop behaving like victims': Anti-Catholic sectarianism a thing of the past in Scotland, claims leading historian|url=https://www.irishpost.com/news/stop-behaving-like-victims-anti-catholic-sectarianism-a-thing-of-the-past-in-scotland-claims-leading-historian-151950|accessdate=1 April 2018|publisher=The Irish Post|date=20 March 2018}}</ref> :Ian Dunn (2016–2018)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sconews.co.uk/contact/|title=Scottish Catholic Observer staff list|work=sconews.co.uk|accessdate=22 November 2016}}</ref> :Liz Leydon (2008–2016)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scottishchristian.com/monitor/scottish-catholic-observer-to-relaunch/|title=Scottish Catholic Observer to relaunch|work=Scottish Christian.com|accessdate=24 October 2014}}</ref> :Harry Conroy (2000–2007)<ref>{{cite web|title=Harry Conroy obituary|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/apr/28/harry-conroy-obituary|website=The Guardian|date=28 April 2010 |accessdate=16 February 2017}}</ref> :Eddie Barnes (1999–2000)<ref>{{cite web|title=Scotland's turbulent priest|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/aug/19/religion|website=The Guardian|date=19 August 2000 |accessdate=16 February 2017}}</ref> :Hugh Farmer (1993–1999)<ref>{{cite web|title=Sacked church editor not going meekly|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/sacked-church-editor-not-going-meekly-1071544.html|website=The Independent|date=18 February 1999 |accessdate=16 February 2017}}</ref> :John MacLean (1990–1993) :Jim Coffey (1977–1990) :Rennie McOwan (1962–1964)<ref>{{cite book|first=Tom|last=Gallagher|title=Glasgow, the Uneasy Peace: Religious Tension in Modern Scotland, 1819-1914|url=https://archive.org/details/glasgowuneasypea00gall|url-access=registration|year=1987|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=978-0-7190-2396-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/glasgowuneasypea00gall/page/283 283]–}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.sconews.co.uk ''Scottish Catholic Observer'' homepage] * [http://scobserver.wordpress.com/ Scobserver.wordpress.com]

Category:Newspapers published in Scotland Category:Defunct Catholic newspapers Category:1885 establishments in Scotland Category:Newspapers established in 1885 Category:Catholic Church in Scotland Category:Organisations based in Glasgow Category:Mass media in Glasgow Category:Defunct newspapers published in the United Kingdom Category:Newspapers disestablished in 2020

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