Death of former Mid Ulster Mail journalist Cecil Purdy marks the end of an era in local journalism

The Cookstown man, whose career spanned more than three decades, passed away in his 94th year, at Ashbrook Care Home on March 8.

Cecil, formerly of Lissan Road, began his career in the Tyrone Courier in Dungannon and later moved to work in the Mid Ulster Mail when it had an office in William Street in Cookstown and worked there until his retirement.

He also worked as a 'stringer' for the Belfast Telegraph, Belfast News Letter, BBC, and UTV and covered many of the big news stories which broke in the Mid Ulster area.

Cecil was made a Life Member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and was an active trade unionist throughout his career working to improve wages and conditions of local journalists and photographers. He was one of the founding members of the former Mid Ulster Branch of the National Union of Journalists which was later merged with Belfast and District Branch of the NUJ.

He represented the NUJ on the National Council for the Training of Journalists and played a leading role in union talks with RUC chiefs which eventually led to the formation of Press Offices in Northern Ireland to assist journalists covering incidents during the Troubles.

He was an excellent trainer of journalists who taught many young journalists 'the tricks of the trade' and always insisted on checking facts and producing balanced reports. "When in doubt, leave it out," he would caution after reading some 'risky' piece of copy.

Cecil was a newspaper man of the old school, perfectly relaxed in an office where the constant banging of typewriters and ringing of telephones (landlines) was deafening, as reporters worked to get that week's paper out.

When the Mid's front and back pages had been sorted on a Tuesday afternoon and the paper 'put to bed' it was time for a game of darts which Cecil always enjoyed - especially if he was winning - as he enjoyed playing bowls for the town and attending hockey matches in Cookstown.

Then, one day, something called an Amstrad computer with a green glowing screen arrived in the office and the noise of typewriters disappeared to be replaced by an eerie silence, and there followed talk of 'new technology' which was to completely transform the industry. By this time Cecil was getting ready for retirement and did not go through the rapid changes that were coming down the line.

More than anything, Cecil was a devoted family man who was sadly predeceased by his loving wife Dinah in April, 2019.

He was also a loving dad to Norman and Laura, father-in-law of Pauline and Stephen, caring grandfather of Lynsey and Richard, Conor and Lyndsey, Shane and Chloé and great-grandfather of Elliot, Grace, Rosie and Beth.

His sad passing is not only a loss for his family, but draws a line under an era of journalism that will probably never be seen again.