After more than four decades of holding a mirror to Irish politics, business and public life through its sharp wit and incisive commentary, one of Ireland’s most beloved independent publications is calling it a day. The Phoenix, a biweekly title widely regarded as Ireland’s answer to the long-running British satirical magazine Private Eye, will cease all operations 43 years after it first hit newsstands, according to local reports.
Irish public service broadcaster RTÉ has confirmed that The Phoenix’s parent publishing company, Penfield, is preparing to enter voluntary liquidation, a process that will wind down the firm’s remaining business operations. The final issue of the biweekly magazine rolled off printing presses on June 5, and the publication has already stopped accepting new subscription orders from readers. A notice posted on the magazine’s official website, phoenix.ie, confirms that the outlet is currently unable to process either new print or digital subscription requests.
Founded in 1983 by the late respected Irish journalist and publisher John Mulcahy, The Phoenix carved out a unique niche in Irish media over its decades-long run. Blending sharp satirical humor, biting commentary, and hard-nosed reporting on Irish politics and business, the magazine built a loyal, dedicated readership across the Republic of Ireland. It reached its sales peak in the early 1990s, when circulation hit its highest point in the publication’s history. For the past several years, the magazine has been helmed by editor Paddy Prendiville, continuing its biweekly publishing schedule up to its final issue.
The end of The Phoenix marks the close of a notable chapter in Irish independent journalism, leaving a gap in the country’s media landscape for a publication that combined investigative reporting with irreverent commentary on the nation’s leading public figures.