It appears without warning: a single A4 sheet, black and white, left in Smokey’s or the Library, written with the confidence of a serious publication and the morals of absolutely none. Newcastle Road News has become one of the most talked-about publications on campus.
Its Editor remains anonymous. That, they say, is the point.
In an exclusive interview with SIN, conducted on condition of anonymity, the person behind Newcastle Road News explained why satire, secrecy and stairs are doing more for student engagement than most strategy documents ever could.
Who actually writes Newcastle Road News?
Is it one person, or a team of contributors?
“I like to think that I’m guided by various spirits,” the Editor said. “In both senses of the word. So if you want to say that’s just me, you can, but I wouldn’t.”
The truth, such as it is, appears fluid. What is clear is that the paper’s voice is tightly controlled. Pieces that don’t strike the tone or style don’t make the cut.
The Editor describes the process of writing an article: “It’s simply, come up with something dumb – really, really stupid, and then write about it as if it’s serious.”
Who does the Editor answer to?
Accountability, it turns out, exists, just not in the traditional sense.
“Our emails,” the editor said, when asked who they answer to.
Reader correspondence has included confusion over whether the paper is satire at all, praise from those quoted in its pages, and one message from Archives and Special Collections, after cleaners repeatedly removed early issues.
If you’ve missed a copy, incidentally, you can find them there. Assuming the cleaners haven’t struck again.
Anonymity, power, and why it ends if they’re named
“You can say a lot more,” the Editor said, when asked about their anonymity. “Have you seen what I write? I wouldn’t want to be caught dead saying those things.”
If their identity became widely known, they’re clear about the consequences.
“It stops being published. That’s it.”
The logic is simple: the obsession with unmasking the Editor risks killing the thing people enjoy in the first place.
Is Newcastle Road News a serious publication?
Unequivocally, yes.
“Oh, the most serious,” the Editor said. “There’s nothing more serious.”
That seriousness, however, doesn’t extend to conventional journalism values. When asked whether the paper would be put forward for the Student Media Awards, the Editor was blunt.
“A lot of them require that you commit to things like the truth,” they said. “We’re more inspired by the truth than bound by it. We don’t want to be high-strung by the truth.”
They did, however, express interest in another kind of recognition.
“I think you should be giving me the awards that you win as editor of SIN,” they said.
When told those awards already have my name on them, the response was immediate: “I have Sharpies.”
The Dump Tank question (and the Jack Russell option)
The Editor of Newcastle Road News was recently nominated for the RAG Week Dump Tank – despite, notably, no one knowing who they are.
So will they appear?
“We’re in negotiations,” the Editor said. “There might be a nominee. Someone representing Newcastle Road News. Perhaps a child. Or maybe a dog.”
Why a dog?
“I was thinking like a Jack Russell,” they said. “I don’t have an issue with Jack Russells. I just think it would be funnier.”
Internships, vapes, and the future of student media
Would Newcastle Road News take on an intern from Journalism or Global Media?
“Oh yeah. Absolutely,” the Editor said – with conditions.
“As long as they aren’t insistent on things like getting paid. Or having windows.”
Smoke breaks, however, are covered.
“They can, yeah. Sure. They’re all vaping now. You never get caught vaping inside.”
The vision is clear:
“I’ll just open their box once a week and a vape cloud will come out. That’ll be our weather forecast. Fog.”
Satire, education and campus power
Beneath the chaos, the Editor insists there is intent. Satire, they argue, reaches students who might never read a straight news piece.
“Someone may not want to read a serious news piece after coming out of a serious lecture,” they said. “I don’t think the average student knew what the UMT [The University Management Team] was […] until you start reading Newcastle Road News, then all of a sudden it’s ‘oh UMT is a thing, and they’re evil’.”
It’s comedy as a gateway drug to awareness.
“Bigger than the Nobel Peace Prize”
Does the editor believe Newcastle Road News is a force for change?
“In terms of a wider force for change?”
They paused.
“I see this as being bigger than the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Whether history agrees remains to be seen.
The future of Newcastle Road News?
The Editor describes their vision for the future: a two-sided commercial issue with advertisements (and a lonely singles section).
“The hope next year is that we go double-sided,” they said. “Relationship advice? Obviously we give the best relationship advice on campus.”
“We will be accepting ads for things like ‘hot MILFs in your area’. What’s the plural of MILF? Is it just MILF? MSILF? Milves? If any Milves want to get in contact about having an ad, they’re more than welcome to.”
For now, Newcastle Road News continues to appear each week without warning (or a byline). Its Editor remains unnamed. The facts? ehh. The confidence? Absolute.
Bigger than the Nobel Peace Prize? History may be skeptical. Campus, for the moment, definitely is not.
Emma van Oosterhout is the Editor-in-Chief of Student Independent News for 2025/26. She is studying MA Journalism at University of Galway, and graduated in 2025 with a BA in Global Media and History. She is from Corofin, Co. Galway. Emma was previously a News Editor for the year 2023/24. She has written for SIN since 2023.