Privacy & Cookie Policy
Last updated: 12 November 2026
This policy explains what personal data Connemara Journal (“we”, “us”) collects when you use connemarajournal.ie and our Facebook page, why we collect it, and the rights you have under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Irish Data Protection Acts 1988–2018.
Who we are
Connemara Journal is an independent Irish news website. For anything to do with your data, contact us at info@connemarajournal.ie.
What we collect and why
When you read the site
Our web host records standard server logs (IP address, browser type, pages requested and the time) to keep the site secure and working. These are kept for a short period and are not used to identify you. Our legal basis is our legitimate interest in running a secure website.
Analytics
If you accept analytics cookies, we use Google Analytics to understand which stories people read and how they find us. Google Analytics collects information such as pages viewed, approximate location (country/city), device and referring site. We do not use it to identify you personally. Our legal basis is your consent, which you can withdraw at any time using the cookie settings on the site.
Contact forms, tips and corrections
If you contact us through a form, by email or through our Facebook page (for example to send a story tip, request a correction or ask about advertising), we receive the details you choose to share, such as your name, email address and message. We use them only to reply and to deal with your request. Our legal basis is our legitimate interest in responding to you. If you send us a tip, we will not publish your name or identify you as a source without your permission.
Newsletter
If you sign up for our free newsletter, we use your email address to send it to you. Our legal basis is your consent. Every newsletter includes an unsubscribe link, and you can also email us to be removed.
Comments
If you leave a comment, we store the name, email address and comment you submit, along with your IP address, to display the comment and help prevent spam. Your email address is never published. An anonymised string created from your email address may be sent to the Gravatar service to check whether you have a profile picture.
Cookies
Cookies are small files stored on your device. We use:
- Necessary cookies that make the site work and remember your cookie choices. These cannot be switched off.
- Analytics cookies (Google Analytics), only if you accept them.
When you first visit, our cookie banner lets you accept or reject non-essential cookies. You can change your choice at any time using the cookie settings icon on the site, or clear cookies in your browser.
Embedded content and links
Articles may link to or embed content from other websites (such as news outlets, YouTube or Facebook). Those sites may collect data about you under their own privacy policies. Our Facebook page is operated on Facebook’s platform, and Meta’s privacy policy applies to your use of Facebook.
Who we share data with
We do not sell your personal data. We only share it with service providers who help us run the site, such as our web host, Google (analytics) and our email/newsletter provider, and only as needed for those services. Some providers, such as Google, may process data outside the European Economic Area. Where they do, they use safeguards approved under GDPR, such as the EU Standard Contractual Clauses or the EU–US Data Privacy Framework. We may also disclose data if required by law.
How long we keep it
- Messages, tips and correction requests: as long as needed to deal with them, and no longer than two years.
- Newsletter subscriptions: until you unsubscribe.
- Comments: for as long as the comment is published.
- Analytics data: kept by Google for no longer than 14 months.
Your rights
You have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, to have it corrected or deleted, to restrict or object to how we use it, to data portability, and to withdraw consent at any time. To use any of these rights, email info@connemarajournal.ie. We will reply within one month.
If you are unhappy with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Data Protection Commission in Ireland at dataprotection.ie.
Journalism
Some processing of personal data in our news reporting is done for journalistic purposes, where Irish law (section 43 of the Data Protection Act 2018) provides exemptions to balance data protection with freedom of expression. To request a correction to a published article, see our contact & corrections page.
Children
Our site is a general news service and is not aimed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last changed.