The Irish Times
Ireland's paper of record with a strong subscription business.
The Irish Times at a glance
The Irish Times is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Ireland, currently ranked #4 in the country. It was founded in 1859 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Today The Irish Times is owned by The Irish Times DAC. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 12 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through digital subscriptions, advertising, print sales. Its closest rivals include independent.ie, rte.ie.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 11.3 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 11.6 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 12 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 12.7 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Ireland, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Ireland86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 3.6 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Ireland
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| the irish times | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Ireland web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Ireland
Company information
- Website
- irishtimes.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- The Irish Times DAC
- Owner type
- Trust-owned media company
- Founded
- 1859
- Headquarters
- Dublin, Ireland
- Ownership
- The Irish Times DAC controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Not publicly disclosed
- Ownership
- Trust-owned media company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
The Irish Times operates a news and media publisher focused on Ireland. Ireland's paper of record with a strong subscription business. Revenue comes mainly from digital subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Digital subscriptions
- Advertising
- Print sales
International presence
- Primary market
- Ireland
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Ireland)
- #4 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Ireland
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| independent.ie | ≈ 7.2 million / month | #5 class competitor | — |
| rte.ie | ≈ 5.4 million / month | #6 class competitor | — |
What is The Irish Times?
The Irish Times (irishtimes.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in Ireland. Ireland's paper of record with a strong subscription business. It ranks #4 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns The Irish Times?
The site is operated by The Irish Times DAC. The company was established in 1859 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place The Irish Times at roughly 12 million visits per month, about 0.4 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How The Irish Times makes money
Revenue comes primarily from digital subscriptions, alongside advertising, print sales.
Competitors in Ireland
Its closest rivals include independent.ie, rte.ie.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1859
The Irish Times is founded in Dublin, Ireland.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #4 among the most visited websites in Ireland.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns The Irish Times?
The Irish Times is operated by The Irish Times DAC. Trust-owned media company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is The Irish Times headquartered?
The Irish Times is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
When was The Irish Times founded?
The Irish Times was founded in 1859.
What is The Irish Times's revenue?
The Irish Times does not publish standalone revenue; income comes from digital subscriptions, advertising, print sales.
Who are The Irish Times's competitors?
Main competitors in Ireland include independent.ie, rte.ie.
How does The Irish Times make money?
Mainly digital subscriptions, advertising, print sales.
Is The Irish Times publicly traded?
No — The Irish Times is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by The Irish Times DAC.
How many visitors does The Irish Times get?
Third-party estimates place The Irish Times at roughly 12 million visits per month, mostly from Ireland, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is The Irish Times safe?
The Irish Times is an established news & media site founded in 1859 and ranked #4 in Ireland; use the official domain irishtimes.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsirishtimes.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageIreland and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos