Irish Examiner view: King of Cork news Maurice Gubbins brought traditional values into a brave new world

'The Echo' editor, who is retiring after 44 years with the Examiner group, has been a strong campaigner for social justice and a supporter of community values in the county he loves so dearly

Managing director Karen O'Donoghue, Maurice Gubbins, retiring after 44 years with the Examiner Group, Gráinne McGuinness, newly-appointed editor of 'The Echo', and 'Irish Examiner' editor Tom Fitzpatrick. Picture: Larry Cummins

In these confused times the expression “old school” is often used as a pejorative, a means of signalling that someone has failed to move with the fashions and demands of our tech-driven lives. 

But there is another, and better, interpretation: That an individual has found a way to carry traditional values and beliefs into the shiny, brave new world.

No better exemplar exists than Maurice Gubbins, who has retired from his role as editor of The Echo  and EchoLive.ie following nearly five decades of service to local journalism and some 44 years with the Examiner Group throughout its various iterations.

Maurice, a native of Fermoy, has been a strong campaigner for social justice and a supporter of community values in the county he loves so dearly. 

Legion are the numbers of young journalists who have benefitted from his patient guidance and support and carved out successful careers in an increasingly splintered and competitive industry.

‘Mossie’ arrived at the Examiner offices in 1978 via the Southern Star and The Corkman and his first byline for us came on a story on July 31 about an 11-year-old Co Cork boy who had become Ireland’s youngest kidney transplant patient.

Maurice has steered his title through economic challenges, changes of ownership, alterations to the publishing cycle, and the digital revolution, which he embraced with enthusiasm, working six and often seven days a week to ensure The Echo’s voice was heard.

While one monarch is acceding over the water, a king is abdicating in Cork.

Maurice Gubbins on his retirement as editor of 'The Echo', with 'Irish Examiner' editor Tom Fitzpatrick. Picture: Larry Cummins

If they ever need an updated model for the Echo Boy statue, they could do worse than base the design on the picture which graces the Twitter account of Maurice Gubbins (27,500 tweets and counting). A beaming smile, topped by a fedora hat worn at a rakish angle, an image which would also lend itself to a striking emoji.

In one of his early articles as education correspondent, another of his multiple roles, Maurice reported on a conference of vocational school principals in Tralee.

“Less work, more leisure is the trend,” said his intro. After a lifetime of industry and leadership, this stalwart should enjoy following his own advice.