Is this the end of the road for the Irish Runner magazine???

I recently checked out the social media feeds for the Irish Runner magazine and I noticed that they have been inactive for months. From what I understand, the last print issue was in July of 2021 and subscribers were told that it was being 'made over' to make it better.

Ian O'Riordan who is the athletics journalist for the Irish Times wrote on Twitter this week that it has gone out of business...

The Irish Runner magazine was started by Frank Greally back in 1981 at the start of the running boom and it has been going for 40 years. It was taken over by Athletics Ireland about 10-15? years ago and in the last few years, it was outsourced to an outside company to produce. From what I hear, that outside company has now stopped publishing it.

Despite it being the official publication of Athletics Ireland, they have said nothing about its demise.

The Irish Runner magazine has played a huge role in the coverage of athletics and running in Ireland for four decades. 

It would be a shame to see it go without Athletics Ireland making an announcement about it and noting the part that Frank Greally and the magazine played in the promotion of the athletics and running in the country.

Update - Fri 15th Oct 2021: Athletics Ireland finally woke up and issued this statement today...

We'll have to wait and see what their 'multimedia strategy' might be. I know some people like to have a physical copy of a magazine in their hand to read rather than on a PC, tablet or phone. If they stop printing a physical magazine, will people pay for a digital product when so much information is already on Facebook and websites?

When I put up this post a few days ago, I thought it would generate more interest than it did. I really did get a sense of general indifference by many people to the fate of the Irish Runner magazine.