File 2 - The Leader / A Review of Current Affairs, Politics, Literature, Art and Industry

A hard-bound volume containing a complete run of this weekly publication. The series runs from 1 Sept. 1900 (Vol. V, No. 1)-20 Feb. 1904 (Vol. VII, No. 26). The founding editor of 'The Leader' was the Waterford-born David Patrick Moran. He was educated in Mount Sion CBS, and later in St. Vincent’s College, Castleknock. On leaving school he went to London where he gained his first journalistic appointment at the 'Star' newspaper, founded by T.P. O’Connor. Moran was attracted to the Irish language movement and, through it, to Irish nationalism, during his thirteen years in London. In 1898 he returned to Dublin and joined the Gaelic League. In 1900 he founded 'The Leader', an outspoken weekly publication devoted to preserving important facets of the cultural and national heritage of the country. The Leader was an immediate success. 'The Leader' attracted a lot of Irish advertising and Moran saw the publicising of Irish goods as one of its main roles. He advocated buy Irish campaigns but sensibly warned that the Irish people would buy Irish goods only if they were ‘as good and as cheap’ as imports. An ink stamp on the inside front cover and on the fly leaf reads: ‘Father Matthew Temperance Hall, Church Street, Dublin’. Folio, some illustrations. Bound volume with title to spine ‘The Leader, Vols. 5-7’.