By John O’Brien, Jr. @JobJr
Have you seen the new iIrish Loaner Library at PJ McIntyre’s yet?
Borrow a Book, Bring it Back gives us the chance to share the wealth of our saints, scholars and sinners, with you.
Check it out next time you are in PJ’s.
There is so much within centered around our Irish Heritage Month this issue – iIrish Person of the Year is announced, the parade and season honorees are feted, loads of bands and special events emerge around St. Patrick’s Day too. Say thanks, while people are still here to hear it.
For us at iIrish, we are excited about the March 1st launch of our brand new, built from scratch website. It is still iirish.us, but that is about all that is the same.
New formats, and scrolling screens, picture highlights and videos dominate the news and culture heavy focus, while featuring our excellent columnists work coming to you from six U.S. states.
As you know, digital has already passed print newsmagazines in following and frequency among our readers. We are not cutting our print edition, but we are greatly expanding our digital one. It is said that the only two things people hate are change, and staying the same.
Somehow, we are doing a little bit of both, rather than being left behind. The fifteen print newsmagazines present when we started in 2006 are down to four. I believe the way we keep adapting is why we are still here, able to offer you our stories, our experience and our contributions to those needing a hand up the ladder.
Of course, all that work by so many in our organization is not free. Effective with this issue, the new website will allow some stories to be read for free, but others and the Interactive issue will now only be accessible by digital subscribers.
Options
You can choose one of three options now: 1. to become an online subscriber for $36 a year to have complete access to the site, except for the Craictivist VIP Program. 2. Become a print only subscriber for $40 per year, or 3. Become a print and online subscriber for only $44 per year, with complete access to the site, except for the Craictivist VIP Program.
It has been a hard decision and move to make – mulled over for a long time. We know so many of you still want to hold a paper in your hand, not a phone or a computer. That is why the print edition availability stays the same and distribution points stay the same. But, unfortunately, the costs of producing it for you do not.
Print advertising is dropping, even though our product quality, coverage and reach continues to grow, substantially. That is not sustainable.
We love hearing your responses that you love the paper, that you love our preservation, promotion and presentation efforts around our culture, and love that we have donated more than $420,000 to local and national charities since our 2006 establishment; we would be millionaires if those kind and so appreciated words could decrease the cost of those efforts, but only advertisers supporting iIrish in print or online do.
More than 50,000 people per month follow us online, the new Merch store helps too. But most of all, only if we can turn that verbal support to action, actually becoming an advertiser partner, can we make headway on the highways and byways of stewardship for our culture.
Cornerstone Content
A new category is being added to the website, called Cornerstone Content. Here you will find the stories that are the cultural cornerstone of our being Irish – information like Who Was St. Patrick, St Brigid, the significance of the Claddagh Ring, Why do the Irish treasure a Shamrock, and why a clover is not the same thing; what is Gaelic Football, Hurling, Camogie; What is the national color of Ireland (Hint – it is NOT Green), the National Instrument, the history and accomplishments of our people are just a few.
How is that different from our regular offerings? Whether you are interested in those topics for your own reasons, for your research, for your education of others or just to explore … Cornerstone Content found throughout the website written by our columnists is now also available in just one place – Cornerstone Content. It is true, it is real, fact-based information you can rely on, and maybe learn from.
I also wish to congratulate and celebrate several iIrish anniversaries among our ranks. The mighty and the magnificent celebrating their anniversary with iIrish this month: Laila Dajani 1 year; Christine Hahn 7 years; Megan Lardie 4 years; John Myers 5 years, Joe McDonough 2 years and Tim Smith 3 years. We are so very blessed to have you on our team. We welcome Digital Content Specialist Abby Jarvis to the team as well and look forward to seeing her shine.
A Hearty Congratulations to Gandalf’s as they celebrate their 10th year. There is so much more inside.
iIrish is made in America. We have always been green and are proudly Irish, all year long.
…
Nuair a stapann an ceol, an damhsa déanann an amhlaidh
(When the music stops, so does the dance)
John
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