You learned, as you wrote your reports at the Irish Press, to anticipate a call from the editor's office, to "read it out". Bill Sweetman, editor of the paper from 1937 to 1951, who has died aged 96, had an "interesting way of teaching the rudiments of journalism". A former editor of The Irish Times, Douglas Gageby, who got his first job in journalism under Mr Sweetman in 1945, recalls how after each evening news conference Mr Sweetman would demand that a selection of reporters read their reports to him.
"You were sent into the tiny room in which he and Paddy Kirwan, the assistant editor, sat. `Read it out there Gageby,' he would say. And as you went along you wondered why the hell you didn't make that sentence shorter or didn't handle the story in a different way. You came to the end and waited. Silence. Then Sweetman would begin `I think he's got it all wrong'. `Oh no, no,' from Kirwan. `All it needs is that whole opening paragraph be rephrased.' And as you stood, holding on to your three or four sheets, these two argued the matter out, haggling back and forth . . .Finally the word was given: `Give it to Hunter' (Arthur Hunter, the chief sub-editor). He'll fix it.' "
This dissecting duo was apparently christened "Lo" and "Behold" by the Press stalwart of the time, its Woman's Editor, Ms Anna Kelly.
Mr Sweetman is described as having been a "pleasure to work for, a trifle caustic at times but always understanding and humorous".
He was described variously as being lively-minded, always thinking, but always good humoured and as a kindly editor who stood by his journalists. He made a telling comment himself, almost casually, in a piece about his father. On a profound difference of opinion in the family, which caused no bitterness, Mr Sweetman remarks by way of explanation: ". . . we had all learned to respect the integrity of those with whom we disagreed."
Bill Sweetman was born in Dublin on December 6th, 1903, the first of six children born to Agnes and John Sweetman. A staunchly republican family, his father was a founder member of Sinn Fein. They lived in Drumbaragh, Co Meath, and the boy Bill was sent to the Mount Saint Benedict College in Gorey, Co Wexford. He completed a BComm at UCD in 1922. Following a number of jobs, including import-export work for a year in Germany, driving a lorry and delivering gravel, he returned to Ireland.
In 1930, he married Polly Clyne, from Co Leitrim, and, just a year later, Frank Gallagher, first editor of the new Fianna Fail organ, offered his friend Bill a job as a reporter. He was to be the first London Editor at the Irish Press. The couple moved to London where they stayed for about three years. While there, he was one of the few journalists to whom Ghandi, when he visited London, would give an interview.
Upon their return, the couple set up home in a flat in a house owned by Maud Gonne in Roebuck. Polly pushed her husband to study law, incredulous of any assertion that there was a long-term living in ink.
Family lore had it that Mr Sweetman and Sean Mac Bride had a "plan" to set up a restaurant, where Mr MacBride would be the chef and Mr Sweetman the waiter. It was not to be, though Mr MacBride did continue to "cook" up news as Mr Sweetman took charge of proferring it to a hungry public.
During his time as editor the Irish Press was a "wonderful place", recalls a former colleague. Where the Irish Independent was business oriented and The Irish Times unionist to the core, at the Press an eclectic bunch - republicans, out-of-work barristers, communists, former Freeman's Journal hacks - brought out four pages a day, six days a week of news, features and sport as well as historical vignettes, nature stories, recipes, book reviews and, of course, "Roddy The Rover". Among the notable young writers Mr Sweetman took on were Brendan Behan and Edna O'Brien. Cearbhall O Dalaigh and Mitchel Cogley were also part of his stable.
It was certainly a Fianna Fail paper though not to the degree commonly believed. Modern lore may have it that the Press only began to find an independence after Mr Sweetman, but the Fianna Fail archives are reputedly "full" of complaints that the paper was not "doing enough for the party".
The paper supported industrialisation and Mr Sean Lemass at a time when they were not universally popular; it was forward-looking and, though incurring the wrath of many members of old Fianna Fail, it made no apologies for keeping a pro-active eye on where Ireland was going.
Mr Sweetman left the Press in 1951. Though the circumstances are unclear, his departure coincided with the time Major Vivion de Valera assumed increasing control over editorial policies. "Eventually," says one former colleague, "he couldn't work under him."
There was a huge turn out for his farewell party at The Hibernian Hotel.
Without work in ink he returned to law. He "devilled" under Raymond O'Neill for a year before taking up a position as a District Justice. Mayo was his first posting where he spent five "pleasant years". Indeed, he built a house at Kilsallagh on Clew Bay.
He was then posted to Offaly, and continued there until 1972. His beloved Polly died in 1973, after which he lived in Dublin with his daughter Mary. Up until his 90s he delivered meals-on-wheels. Each day began with 8 a.m. Mass at Dundrum and ended with a game of snooker at Milltown Golf Club.
His last four years were spent happily in the care of the sisters and staff of the Little Sisters of the Poor. He died on Sunday last, June 13th .
Mr Sweetman is survived by his son John, daughter Mary (Cotter), son-in-law Johnnie and grandsons David, William and Paul.
William (Bill) Sweetman: born 1903; died June, 1999