Northern Star (newspaper of the Society of United Irishmen)

The publication of an Irish newspaper that reflected and disseminated liberal views was an early goal of Irish republicans in the late 18th century. By the founding of the Society of United Irishmen in October 1791, the project was well underway and the first edition of the Northern Star appeared in Belfast on 1 January 1792 and was published twice a week at the price of two pence, a penny of which was for the government stamp (the newspaper tax). Among the paper's twelve financial backers (all of whom were Presbyterian merchants), Samuel Neilson (who had pledged his woollen business to the paper) was the publisher and editor.^[1]

Political content dominated the Northern Star but its publication of local news, as opposed to the focus on British and international affairs of other Irish newspapers of the time, brought it wide popularity. Leading members of the United Irishmen, among them William Sampson, Thomas Russell and James Porter, were regular contributors and mixed direct political analyses with cutting political satire.^[1]

William Orr was among those who contributed to its content, his letters would lead to his eventual arrest and execution under the Insurrection Act 1797 (37 Geo. 3. c. 38 (I)). The newspaper also enjoyed an excellent voluntary distribution network as its penetration followed rapidly wherever the United Irishmen set up new branches. It was estimated that for each copy of the Northern Star sold there were at least five readers, as the reading aloud of articles from the paper was a regular feature of United Irish meetings.

The newspaper was initially protected from the authorities due to the support of well-connected liberals but following the outbreak of war between Britain and Revolutionary France in 1793 and the subsequent banning of the United Irishmen as a seditious body it began to draw increasing attention. The massive popularity of the newspaper protected it from serious harassment until January 1797 when the establishment went into a state of panic following the French invasion scare at Bantry Bay. The paper was alleged to be behind the Dublin-based Union Star, a militant, low-circulation newssheet, often posted in public places, which specialized in naming informers, "notorious Orangemen", and other enemies of the United Irishmen, being regarded by Dublin Castle as a republican hitlist.