Hugh Oram looks at the role 'The Western People' plays in keeping emigrants informed of all the local news.

Newspaper chair Rita de Vere Durcan explains that 'The Western People' is like a letter from home, read by second and third generation ex-pats who may have lost their Irish links. Because the West of Ireland's emigration rate is so high, 'The Western People' is read as closely abroad as it is in Mayo, with about 10% of their sales overseas.

This episode of 'Paper Tigers' focuses on newspapers based in Mayo.

'Paper Tigers' was a radio series about Ireland's newspapers and the people who worked on them. It was presented by Hugh Oram, who wrote the accompanying book 'Paper Tigers' (1993).

The first episode was broadcast on 22 September 1992.

The photograph accompanying this clip is a view of Ballina, Mayo, in 1974 where 'The Western People' is based.

The photographer was Ronan Lee.

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