The Echo says a fond farewell to its long-standing editor

THE Echo said farewell to long-standing editor Maurice Gubbins on Friday, and the colleagues who gathered to wish him well heard tributes to his kindness, fairness, and true professionalism.

His contribution to the Examiner Group spans more than 40 years, during which time he played a key role in the editorial development of the company.

Throughout his 22 years as editor of The Echo and more recently of EchoLive.ie, Mr Gubbins has had a major influence on those with whom he has worked.

Managing Director of The Irish Examiner and The Echo Karen O’Donoghue said he will be sorely missed by all his colleagues.

Speaking at The Echo offices in Blackpool on Friday, Ms O’Donoghue congratulated Mr Gubbins on his retirement and Irish Examiner editor Tom Fitzpatrick thanked Mr Gubbins for the mentorship and guidance he provided to so many colleagues through the years.

Dan Linehan, General Manager of the Irish Times Regionals highlighted the many changes and improvements which took place in The Echo and on EchoLive.ie with Mr Gubbins at the helm.

“He has developed the brand, he has improved the content and he’s improved the people who work for it and he has seen it change from being an evening paper to a morning paper - The Echo and EchoLive.ie - and Maurice done a phenomenal job on it,” he said.

Speaking about the number of talented teams Maurice has developed and nurtured, Mr Linehan said: “He leaves behind an incredibly strong team in The Echo. I would say Maurice is good at recruitment but he was brilliant at encouragement.

“He was exceptionally good at identifying potential talent and delivering that and nurturing every person on a one-to-one basis where everybody felt special and we’re all the better for his kindness.”

Mr Linehan described Mr Gubbins as “an absolute gentleman, an extraordinary man, and kind”.

“Kindness is default in Maurice,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of The Echo team, newly-appointed editor of The Echo and EchoLive.ie Gráinne McGuinness acknowledged the “tremendous leader we are losing today”.

“Maurice has been a tower of strength for every single person in The Echo, both those who have been here for years, newer members of the team, and those who have been with us previously and left,” she said.”

He has been a constant support to us all, always available to offer us guidance and helping us all to become better journalists and to make The Echo what it is today.”

Ms McGuinness described him as a “genuine person” who never lost sight of the importance of the team and their personal and family lives, making sure they all felt supported in every single way.

“The team that is in place today and the team that I’m thrilled to be working with in the future wouldn’t exist without Maurice.”

Addressing his colleagues for the final time, Mr Gubbins said he was proud to work with every single person in the room and with his many other colleagues back through the years.

“I want to thank my little team at the core of The Echo,” he said.

“I always say this but I actually really mean it, I think that our present team is one of the best that we’ve ever had over the years.”

He thanked the news team who “embraced the young fella from Fermoy” when he first started in the newsroom and who took him into their circle and helped him to be a reporter, and as the years went on, to work across various roles within the company, before being appointed Editor of The Echo in 2001..

“One thing that has never changed, I’m delighted to say because I know all of you, is the basic decency which prevails in the place, which has always prevailed in the place, and which continues to prevail in the place,” he said.

“We look after each other, we have always done so and we will continue to do so and I am very confident that will continue to be the way.

“I am proud of having worked with every one of you and I would go into battle with every one of you. Thank you all.”