The Irish Emigrantnewspaper will publish its 1,000th edition for the Irish Diaspora this weekend, it emerged today.
The weekly publication, which was begun by an ex-Digital employee in Galway in 1987, is now the world's longest-running online newspaper.
It began with 15 readers but now has 20,000 subscribers in more than 160 countries.
It also has over 60,000 subscriptions to its Professional Ireland, Sports Ireland, Arts Ireland, and Bookview Ireland newsletters and recently introduced a weekly podcast.
Managing director Liam Ferrie said: "We are delighted that, despite the arrival of all the national and provincial newspapers on the web, our efforts are still in demand.
Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern praised the Irish Emigrantfor the foresight it displayed in recognising the potential of the Internet as a tool to connect with Irish communities across the world.
"I know that Irish people, in a diverse range of occupations, in every corner of the globe, look forward to receiving in their email inbox the welcome link with home that The Irish Emigrantrepresents," he added.
The publication employs seven in its Galway city office. Its content is also published in 20,000 printed newspapers in Boston and New York.