by Gertrude Burford Rawlings
New York D.Appleton and Company 1901
"In heading a chapter" Early Printing in Ireland," one is somewhat reminded of the celebrated chapter on
snakes. As a matter of fact, however, there is no real analogy. Ireland was very slow to adopt the
printing-press, and made little use of it when she did adopt it, yet it would not be quite accurate to say
that there was no early printing in Ireland. But it can truthfully be said that Ireland's early printing was
late-late, that is, compared with that of other countries.
The first typographical work known to have been produced in Ireland is the Book of Common Prayer-the
First Prayer-Book of Edward Vl which was printed in Dublin in 155 I by Humfrey Powell. Powell was a
printer in Holbom Conduit in 1548, and in I551 went to Dublin and set up as King's Printer. A"
Proclamation . . .against the rebels of the O'Conors. . . . Imprynted at Dublin, by Humfrey Powell, 16th
August, 1564," seems to be the only other known specimen of his Dublin printing.
The colophon of the first book printed on Irish ground is as follows:
with photographs showing the title, colophon, etc., of that in the library of Trinity College, Dublin.
Emanuel College, Camhridge, has one which formerly belonged to Archbishop Sancroft. Cotton, in his
Typographical Gazetteer, says that Powell's Prayer-Book is most creditable to the early Irish press. It is in
the English language, and printed in black letter.
The first book printed in the Gaelic language, though in Roman type, has already been spoken of. The
first Gaelic type was exhibited to the world in a tiny volume of fifty-four pages printed at Dublin in 1571,
and entitled Irish Alphabet and Catechism. This was compiled by John O'Kearney, and contained the
elements of the Irish language, the Catechism, some prayers, and Archbishop Parker's articles of the
Christian rule. Opposite is a facsimile of the title-page, which may be translated as follows:
IRISH ALPHABET AND CATECHISM
Precept or instruction of a Christian, together with certain articles of the Christian rule, which are proper
for everyone to adopt who would be submissive to the ordinance of God and of the Queen in this
Kingdom; translated from Latin and English into Irish by John O'Kearney.
Awake, why sIeepest thou, 0 Lord?
Arise, cast us not off for ever.
Ps. Xliv.ver.23.
Printed in Irish in the town of the Ford of the Hurdles, at the cost of Master John Usher, alderman, at the
head of the Bridge, the 20th day of June 1571.
With the privilege of the great Queen.
sometime treasurer of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and his
friend Nicholas Walsh, chancellor of St. Patrick's and
afterwards Bishop of Ossory, and the John Usher
who defrayed the expense was then Collector of
Customs of the port of Dublin.
Its appearance was considered a momentous event
by those concerned with it, for great benefits were
anticipated for the Irish people as soon as" their
national tongue and its own dear alphabet" was
reduced to print, as O'Kearney states at some length
in the preface. He also tells us that the types from
which this volume was printed were provided" at the
cost of the high, pious, great, and mighty prince
Elizabeth."
In this connection it is worth while to notice two
extant records, one among the State Papers (Irish
Series) and the other among the Acts of the Privy
Council. From the first, made some time in December
1567, we gather that Queen Elizabeth had already
paid £G6. 13S. 4d. "for the making of carecters for
the testament in irishe," and that this Testament was
not yet in the press. The second (August 1587)
states that the New Testament was translated into
Irish by Walsh and O'Kearney, but "never imprynted,
partlie for want of proper characters and men of that
nacion and language skillful in the mystery of
pryntyng," and partly on account of the cost.