Brídín Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce, the current Deputy News Editor, has been elected Editor of The University Times, defeating Charles Hastings, the Chair of the Editorial Board, following a recount.
A poll conducted by The University Times indicated a close race with Hastings winning, with 53 per cent of voters giving him their first-preference votes. The poll predicted that Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce would win 38 per cent.
The race has seen Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce frequently push her experience as Editor-in-Chief of TN2 and as a contributing writer for Gay Community News as evidence of her capability. Hastings, who has more experience within The University Times itself, cited his understanding of the paper’s culture as equipping him to improve it.
The election has also seen both candidates express their intent to build a strong community within The University Times, with Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce promising to make the paper less hierarchical and Hastings pledging an increase in collaborative events.
Both candidates pledged to improve the presence of the Irish language within the newspaper by appointing an Irish language editor. Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce further promised the creation of several new positions, including a science editor and an international editor.
Ní Fhearraigh-Joyce’s victory marks only the second time in the paper’s history that the incumbent Deputy Editor has not been elected editor.
