The Irish Post, the biggest selling national newspaper for the Irish in Britain, has announced the appointment of its new editor.

Siobhán Breatnach, originally from Tramore in Co. Waterford, takes over the reins with immediate effect.

Siobhán, who has been news editor of The Irish Post for the last five and a half years, has also worked as Irish Editor for the Daily Star Sunday in London.

A Law graduate from University College Dublin, Siobhán holds an MA in Journalism and Society from the University of East London, where her dissertation focused on the future of the Irish in Britain.

She began her career as a news reporter and entertainment editor at the Sligo Weekender in the West of Ireland, during which time she was awarded the Press Association/ HETAC Student of the Year Award.

A native Irish speaker she has featured on Irish language station TG4 and contributes regularly to RTÉ Nuacht and Raidió na Life.

Siobhán said: “I’m delighted to be appointed as Editor. The Irish Post has always been at the heart of the Irish in Britain and I look forward to continuing that proud tradition, supporting our more established communities and building links with the new wave of arrivals from Ireland.”

The Irish Post has also announced the appointment of Fiona Audley in the newly-created role of Regional Editor, charged with extending the paper’s geographical coverage and with responsibilities for strengthening links between the editorial team and the commercial and marketing departments.

Fiona joined The Irish Post as a senior reporter in February 2008 after working on the newsdesk of the Barking and Dagenham Post. Born in California to Irish parents from Galway, Fiona moved with her family to North London when she was three years old.

The paper is also shortly to announce the appointment of a digital media/entertainment editor, another newly-created post designed to bring dramatic changes to the newspaper’s website – www.irishpost.co.uk - and associated digital services.

And, completing a reshaping of The Irish Post’s newsroom, Niall O’Sullivan has been appointed as a trainee reporter. Niall, an award-winning philosophy student at King’s College London impressed the newspaper’s senior staff with the quality of his reporting and feature writing during work experience and will now be taken on full time. Niall comes from a well-known London Irish family.

Niamh Kelly, chief executive of The Irish Post said: “I am delighted to make these new appointments. We have just celebrated one year back on the newsstands and have now put together a tremendous editorial team which will take us into what we see as a vibrant, successful future.

“We believe Siobhán with her skills, determination and passion for the newspaper will be a great editor of The Irish Post. In addition, Fiona will contribute enormously to the paper’s future. Together they will be a great team.

“We are also very pleased to welcome Niall on board. We all believe he has an exceptional future ahead of him.”