Giant of Scottish journalism, Harry Conroy, dies

ONE of the giants of Scottish journalism, Harry Conroy, has died. He was aged 67 and died following a short illness during the early hours of yesterday.

A former journalist with the Daily Record, he will be probably best remembered as one of the legendary figures in the history of the National Union of Journalists. He was both a former general secretary and president.

His leadership of the NUJ coincided with hugely turbulent times for trade unionism, including the Wapping dispute during the mid-1980s, when an estimated 6000 newspaper workers went on strike following the building of new print works, and subsequent breaking of printing practices, by News International.

His funeral will be on Friday, 10am at St Bride’s in Cambuslang, then at Rutherglen cemetery, Mill Street, at 11.30am.

More recently, he wrote about business and finance for The Herald and sister title, the Evening Times. He also edited the Scottish Catholic Observer and was, upto last year, when he retired, a communications officer with Victim Support Scotland.