EARLY PRINTING IN IRELAND
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 VI.--which
was printed in Dublin in 1551 by Humfrey Powell. Powell was a printer in
Holborn Conduit in 1548, and in 1551 went to Dublin and set up as King's
Printer. A "Proclamation ... against the rebels of the O'Conors....
Imprynted at Dublyn, 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:--
Imprinted by Humfrey Powell, Printer to the Kynges Maiestie, in his
hyghnesse realme of Ireland, dwellyng in the citee of Dublin in the
great toure by the Crane.
_Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum_
Anno Domini
M.D.LI.
This Prayer-book is exceedingly rare. The British Museum possesses no
copy, but has to content itself with photographs showing the title,
colophon, etc., of that in the library of Trinity College, Dublin.
Emanuel College, Cambridge, 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. The following is a facsimile of the title-page to which
a translation is added:--
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 sleepest thou, O 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.
1571
[Illustration: TITLE-PAGE OF O'KEARNEY'S IRISH ALPHABET AND CATECHISM
(_slightly reduced_)]
This book was produced by John O'Kearney, 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" were
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 £66. 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.
I can find no other record of the provision of a fount of Irish types at
the Queen's expense, and having no more definite information at hand on
this point, and taking into consideration the contents of the book--an
Irish alphabet, and directions for reading Irish, and a catechism, etc.
(by way of exercise?)--its diminutive size and the imperfection of its
print, I venture the suggestion that O'Kearney's work was printed as a
trial of the new types given by the Queen and intended for printing the
New Testament. This view is supported by the first words of the preface:
"Here, O reader, you have the first value and fruit of that great
instructive work, which I have been producing and devising for you for a
long time, that is, the faithful and perfect type of the Gaelic tongue."
The conclusion seems to be that the types were inadequate for the
larger work, and that for some reason there was a difficulty about
supplying more or finding anyone to undertake the printing.
The preface further says, after requesting corrections and amendments as
regards the typography: "And it is not alone that I am asking you to
give this kind friendly correction to the printing, but also to the
translation or rendering made of this catechism put forth as far back as
1563 of the age of the Lord and [which] is now more correct and
complete, with the principal articles of the Christian faith associated
therewith." This has led some to think that there was an earlier edition
of the _Alphabet and Catechism_. But it seems plain that O'Kearney
refers to the Catechism only, not to the whole book, and equally plain
that the 1563 work, whatever it was, was not printed in Irish type, or
there would have been no special occasion to glorify the 1571 _Alphabet
and Catechism_. Since nothing is known of the _Catechism_ of 1563, it is
very possible that it existed only in manuscript and never went to
press.
I have gone into this matter of the _Irish Alphabet and Catechism_ of
1571 somewhat at length, because I am not aware that it has ever yet
received detailed attention. The quotations I have given from the
preface are from an anonymous manuscript translation inserted in the
British Museum copy.
O'Kearney's _Irish Alphabet and Catechism_ is so rare that only three
copies are known to exist: one being in the British Museum, one in the
Bodleian Library, and one in the library of Lincoln Cathedral. The
fount of types from which it was printed was not quite correct; for
instance, the small Roman "a" is used, and an "H" is introduced, a
letter foreign to the Gaelic alphabet.
During the seventeenth century, and even later, most of the Irish books
were sent to be printed on the continent or in England. Several books by
Irish authors, chiefly catechisms, works on the language, and
dictionaries, bear the names of Louvain, Antwerp, Rome or Paris, such as
the _Catechism_ of Bonaventure Hussey, printed at Louvain in 1608, and
reprinted at Antwerp in 1611 and 1618.