Regional newspapers have continued to focus on events abroad rather than on more provincial matters in the wake of the attacks in the US. Typical is the Meath Chronicle, which devoted its entire front page to the matter.
"A glimpse of hell on earth," said the banner headline, which appeared over a colour picture of the devastation in New York, as another headline down the page declared: "Exiles describe nightmare scenes as Twin Towers fell." Indeed the paper gave second place to its 48-page sports supplement on the Meath versus Galway All-Ireland football final.
The Sligo Champion also led its front page with the American news. "Family waits in hope as search continues at site." The report, by Jim Gray, said: "A heart-broken Sligo family told of their prayers for a miracle as they await news of a loved one missing since terrorist attacks in New York."
The Leinster Express followed suit with a headline: "Locals lucky in Twin Towers terror."
The report said: "Numerous Laois people had lucky escapes and witnessed first hand the horrific terrorist attacks." The paper quotes Aoife Kavanagh from Borris Road, Portlaoise, who watched the tragedy from her office in Times Square: "At first we thought it was an accident but when the second plane crashed the realisation of what was happening hit everyone."
The Mid Ulster Observer lead headline said: "Stateside massacre hits home." Its report said: "Such is the close relationship between Ireland and America that there are few families in this country who haven't got a relation in New York, Washington or the other leading cities across the US."
The Meath Weekender carried its front page thus: "Meath families caught up in American nightmare". The report said: "The terrorist attacks which devastated New York Twin Towers last week have also struck into the hearts of two Meath families whose relatives are among those still missing in the rubble."
The Longford Leader devoted front-page coverage to the atrocity with the headline: "Longford reaches out to a heartbroken America." The Kerryman followed the same theme with the headline: "Families devastated as hopes fade of finding loved ones alive" and goes on "US attack to spell disaster for tourism."
The Guardian, which circulates in Tipperary, Clare, Galway, Limerick and Offaly, led its front page with "Tipperary grieves over atrocities in the US."
The Wexford People carried a front page photograph by Ger Hore showing a deserted Wexford Main Street during the day of mourning. The Wexford Echo devoted its front page to coverage of the US.
The Anglo-Celt had a different angle on the event when Tom Carron reported: "According to Cavan-Mongahan Sinn FΘin TD, Caoimhgh∅n ╙ Caolβin, relatives and friends of some of the Irish people missing or unaccounted for in the aftermath of the attacks were experiencing difficulties in finding out about their loved ones because they were working without legal status in the US."
The Westmeath Independent and the Westmeath Examiner also devoted front-page space. "Ireland not neutral on terrorism - Cowen," said the Examiner.
The Independent said: "US tragedies bring grief to Westmeath." Its editorial said: "A new era in world terrorism arrived and even in the midst of the carnage and the terror it was clear that it was not alone a black day for America but for the whole of the universe."
The Munnster Express in its editorial said: "It seems that the majority of families have some relatives or friends in New York and for them to have that moment of solitude on Friday and the ability to mourn was appropriate."
The Kerry's Eye editorial said: "We can only hope that the USA and its partners, including Ireland, that have offered support will use their influence to lessen the impact of retribution so that civilian populations who had no part in the atrocities and the children who are already starving, will not again become the real victims of the retaliation."
The Limerick Leader editorialised thus: "Racial integration in Limerick has been such a success of late that it seems churlish to appeal for further understanding. Such an appeal, however, is appropriate in view of the linking of the massacres in America with Islamic fundamentalism.
If the free world is at risk from terrorism, Muslims in particular are at risk from prejudice. "To associate Muslims generally with the perpetrators of the massacres is as logical as associating Irish Catholics generally with the Omagh bombing. Islam, like Christendom, has its lunatic fringe."
The Longford News said in its editorial: "If anything positive is to be taken from the diabolical acts of last week then it is that the world is now, virtually, united in its condemnation of terrorism."