Fr Dillon, founderStatus
Status: ActiveThe Southern Cross was founded in Buenos Aires on 16 January 1875 by Patrick Joseph Dillon. It was published in English, with occasional Irish lessons, before turning mainly to Spanish with some English, and has been digital since 2020. Guillermo MacLoughlin Bréard has been its 14th editor since 2009. It marked 150 years on 16 January 2025, and a December 2024 resolution project in Argentina's Chamber of Deputies declared the sesquicentenary celebrations of interest, calling it the oldest Irish publication published outside Ireland and the senior Catholic newspaper in the country. The Chamber hosted an exhibition on the paper in March 2019.
In 2025 the Embassy of Ireland spent 34,515.60 euro of Strategic Diaspora Project funds on digitising the paper, and early editions are on microfilm at Mullingar Library, where a digitisation project will make them searchable online. At the 2025 St Patrick's parade the Copa Gran Capitán San Patricio was presented to the paper's director. Its listed web domains do not resolve or redirect to unrelated pages, so no website is given here.
Published sources give different versions. Here is each one with its source, and the wording we use.
When the paper turned mainly to Spanish
English-only until 1977, then Spanish with some English
Source: Irish Echo, A proud 150 years (16 Jan 2025), 16 January 2025(opens in a new tab)Published in English until the 1970s
Source: Buenos Aires Times, Irish newspaper gets recognised at the National Chamber of Deputies (21 Mar 2019), 21 March 2019(opens in a new tab)Turned to Spanish in 1964
Source: globalirish.ie on The Southern Cross (2010; search summary), 2010(opens in a new tab)We say: Published in English until the 1960s or 1970s
Founder Patrick Joseph Dillon's birthplace
County Mayo
Source: Irish Echo, A proud 150 years (16 Jan 2025), 16 January 2025(opens in a new tab)County Galway
Source: Buenos Aires Times, Irish newspaper gets recognised at the National Chamber of Deputies (21 Mar 2019), 21 March 2019(opens in a new tab)We say: Born in the archdiocese of Tuam in 1841 or 1842
Usually around 16 January 2027; this year's date is not yet announced.
Buenos Aires
The Irish-Argentine newspaper was founded on 16 January 1875. It marked 150 years on 16 January 2025, and a Chamber of Deputies resolution project declared the sesquicentenary celebrations of interest.
Sources