The Gist is a website and newsletter founded by lawyer and consultant Simon McGarr, covering Irish politics, law, and current affairs.

The Gist is a synthesis of information and opinion, aiming to give people an insight into a relevant topic, so they don't have to do a massive amount of additional reading. Each newsletter picks a topic or story from current news and addresses it from an oblique angle.

The publication is built around the ethos of empowering citizens, as individuals' voices are not heard to the same extent as organised entities. The Gist believes that an informed individual is better able to take action because an active citizenry is the best way to show individuals' voices collectively.

Source: Oasis Europe

Last updated date: November 2025

Location:
Dublin, Ireland
Year the organization started publishing:
2016
Languages:
English
Type of coverage:
National

Content

Editorial coverage:
Generalist, focused on multiple topics
Type of content produced by theme:
Environment
Politics
Technology
Law and crime
Journalism genres:
Essays
Opinion
Investigative journalism
Journalism coverage types and techniques:
Solutions or constructive journalism
Explanatory journalism
Fact-checking
Tech platforms and other mediums used:
Blog
Newsletter
Primary tech platform or medium used to publish content:
Newsletter

Audience and reach

Social media audience

Twitter number of followers:
13,600

Management and team

Founders

Female:
0
Male:
1
Founders:
Simon McGarr
Directors:
Simon McGarr

Team

Full-time employees:
0
Part-time employees:
0
Freelancers or consultants:
0
Volunteers:
1

Business structure and revenue sources

Organization tax status:
For-profit
All revenue sources reported by media leaders:
Consultancy services
Audience support / reader revenue
Services for clients and other private corporations
Services for foreign governments
Services for local governmental entities
Newsletter subscriptions
The primary source of revenue reported by media leaders:
Consultancy services
The second most important revenue source reported:
Newsletter subscriptions

Transparency

Doesn’t publish information about annual revenue
Doesn’t have an ethics policy / manual
Has a data privacy policy
Publishes a data privacy policy
Doesn’t have a whistleblower policy
Doesn’t have a complaints policy
Doesn’t have a sexual harassment or institutional violence policy
Is not signed up to a press regulator, trust initiative, or part of a press association
Publishes up to date information about its team

Why is this profile included?

This media outlet is part of our directory because it meets SembraMedia’s inclusion criteria: it produces original content, serves the public interest, and works with independence and transparency. This profile was developed using information provided directly by the media outlet, through surveys or interviews. We aim to keep the information current, but SembraMedia does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness, and recommends verifying any key details with the media organization.

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