Publisher and inventor Hugh McLaughlin dies after illness

The funeral takes place tomorrow of publisher and inventor Hugh McLaughlin who launched an array of newspapers and magazines including The Sunday Tribune, Sunday World, Business & Finance and Woman's Way.

He also invented an early version of the pressure system used for pulling pints, as well as the "water hog", for draining pitches and putting greens.

Mr McLaughlin, who was in his late 80s, died on New Year's Day. He had been ill for some time.

Originally from Killygordon, Co Donegal his first foray into publishing began in the 1950s with the journal Kavanagh's Weekly, edited by poet Patrick Kavanagh. He then launched the Irish Farmers Journal in the 1950s.

In the 1960s he launched Woman's Way at a time when the market was controlled by British magazines.

He also started the current affairs magazine This Week in the 1960s.

He was managing director of the Creation Group of magazine publishers at the time and launched Business & Finance magazine.

He also started the Sunday World, Ireland's first colour tabloid in 1973 with Gerry McGuinness.

In 1980 he established the Sunday Tribune with John Mulcahy, editor of Hibernia magazine, and in 1982, despite financial difficulties he launched the down-market Daily News in an attempt to replicate the tabloid formula he had so successfully pioneered as co-founder of the Sunday World.

The ill-fated tabloid folded after just 18 issues along with the Sunday Tribune.

Conor Brady, former editor of the Sunday Tribune described him as "a publisher of enormous flair and foresight. Many of Ireland's publishing landmarks owe their success to Hugh's willingness to take a risk".

Mr McLaughlin, who was pre-deceased by his wife Nuala, is survived by his three daughters Valerie, Susan and Anna.

The funeral Mass is at 10 o'clock at the Church of the Sacred Heart in Donnybrook, Dublin.