Volunteers were local militias formed from 1778 onwards, initially to guard against the threat of invasion from revolutionary France. The Volunteer Journal, or Independent Gazetteer was brought out by militia members Phineas Bagnell (1760-1785, son and nephew of the publishers of The Cork Evening Post); and John Baldwin. From 1783, John and Robert Baldwin were the publishers.
The paper appeared twice weekly on Mondays and Thursdays, from the printing office at 9 Long Quay (present-day Patrick's Street).
Special Collections holds a bound volume of The Volunteer Journal, containing from the first issue, 7 November 1782, to 29 July 1784. It is fairly complete, with only some 13 issues lacking over the 20-month period (click on highlighted dates to view a PDF):
1782: 7 November, 11 November, 14 November, 18 November, 21 November, 25 November, 28 November; 2 December, 5 December, 9 December, 12 December, 16 December, 19 December, 23 December, 26 December and 30 December.
1783: 2 January, 9 January, 13 January, 16 January, 20 January, 23 January, 27 January, 30 January; 3 February, 6 February, 13 February, 17 February, 20 February, 24 February, 27 February; 3 March, 6 March, 10 March, 13 March, 17 March, 20 March, 24 March, 27 March, 31 March; 3 April, 7 April, 10 April, 14 April, 17 April, 24 April, 28 April; 1 May, 5 May, 8 May, 12 May, 15 May, 19 May, 22 May, 26 May, 29 May; 2 June, 5 June, 9 June, 12 June, 16 June, 19 June, 23 June, 26 June, 30 June; 3 July, 10 July, 14 July, 17 July, 21 July, 24 July, 28 July, 31 July; 4 August, 7 August, 11 August, 4 August, 18 August, 21 August, 28 August; 1 September, 4 September, 8 September, 15 September, 18 September, 29 September; 2 October, 6 October, 9 October, 13 October, 16 October, 23 October, 27 October, 30 October; 3 November, 6 November, 10 November, 13 November, 17 November, 20 November, 24 November, 27 November; 1 December, 4 December, 8 December, 11 December, 15 December, 18 December, 22 December, 25 December.
1784: 1 January, 5 January, 8 January, 12 January, 19 January, 22 January (supplement only), 26 January, 29 January; 2 February, 5 February, 9 February, 12 February, 16 February, 19 February, 23 February, 26 February; 1 March, 4 March, 8 March, 11 March, 15 March, 18 March, 22 March (lacking pages 1-2), 25 March, 29 March; 1 April, 5 April, 8 April, 12 April, 15 April, 19 April, 26 April, 29 April; 3 May, 6 May, 10 May, 13 May, 17 May, 20 May, 24 May, 27 May, 31 May; 3 June, 7 June, 10 June, 14 June, 17 June, 21 June, 24 June, 28 June; 1 July, 8 July, 12 July, 19 July, 22 July (photocopy), 26 July, 29 July.
Other holdings
The National Library of Ireland has a collection of this paper spanning 14 Nov 1782 to 7 June 1787. Other issues are held by Trinity College, Dublin.
O'Donovan, James. "The anatomy of the Volunteers in Cork, 1775-1782," Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, Part I: 87 (1982): 27-42; Part II: 87 (1982): 118-127.
Stewart, A.T.Q. A Deeper Silence: The Hidden Origins of the United Irishmen. Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 1998.
A fuller list of the issues of The Volunteer Journal held in Special Collections is available here:
