The Oxford History of the Irish Book is a major series that charts one of the most venerable book cultures in Europe, from the earliest manuscript compilations to the flourishing book industries of the late twentieth century. For the first time, it offers a history of the Irish book as a created object situated in a world of communications, trade, transport, power, and money, and examines the ways in which books have both reflected and influenced social, political, and intellectual formations in Ireland. It is an important project for the understanding of Ireland's written and printed heritage, and is by its nature of profound cross-cultural significance, embracing as it does all the written and printed traditions and heritages of Ireland and placing them in the global context of a worldwide interest in book histories.
Volume II, with eighty-two chapters by seventy leading commentators on, and participants in, Irish book history, spans approximately 450 years of Irish-language book production, distribution, and reception. It begins with the 1567 publication of John Carswell's Gaelic version of the Book of Common Order and follows the story of the printed book and journalism in Irish into the twenty-first century, the internet, ebooks, and other formats.
The volume covers religious publications from the sixteenth to eighteenth century, competing versions of Irish history, seventeenth- and eighteenth-century texts which reflected an 'antiquarian' interest in Ireland and its culture, ongoing literary production in the nineteenth century, printers, publishers, literacy, books, and volumes produced by learned societies interested in Irish language and culture, Gaelic Revival publications, post-Independence literature and its publishers, journalism from the late eighteenth to twenty-first century, lexicography, nonfiction, educational publishing, folklore and place lore, translation, the contribution of scholars from outside Ireland, publishing in the Irish diaspora, typography, book design and illustration, the reception of Irish-language texts (from censorship to bestsellers), book collection, and, finally, sources for the study of Irish book history.
This major study of Irish-language book history provides a useful resource for readers interested in Irish history, book history, Irish Studies, the Irish language, Celtic Studies, Translation Studies, linguistics, post-colonialism, and the Irish diaspora.
This volume spans almost five hundred years of Irish-language book printing, production, publication, distribution, and reception. It begins with the 1567 publication of John Carswell's Gaelic version of the Book of Common Order and follows the story of the printed book (and journalism) in Irish into the twenty-first century.
1: Éamonn Ó Ciardha, Frank Sewell, and Alan Titley: Introduction:
Irish-Language Book History since 1567
I. PUBLISHING IN IRISH: SIXTEENTH TO NINETEENTH CENTURY
2: Marc Caball: 'Some taste therefore of that heavenly food': The Reformation
and the Book in Irish, 1567-1690
3: Alan Titley: John Carswell and Foirm na nUrrnuidheadh (1567)
4: Robert J. Hunter: John Franckton, Printer, and the Book of Common Prayer
in Irish: Leabhar na nUrnaightheadh gComhchoidchiond (1608)
5: Mķcheįl Mac Craith: Early Published Works in Irish and their Distribution:
Sixteenth to Eighteenth Century
6: Edel Bhreathnach: The Irish Franciscan Contribution to Irish Book
Production and the Culture of Books in the Seventeenth Century
7: Ben Hazard: Tradition and Transformation: Florence Conry and the Irish
Literary Community, c.1593-1658
8: Gearóidķn Uķ Laighléis: Aodh Mac Aingil (1571-1626): Theologian, Prose
Stylist, and Poet
9: Charles Dillon: Micheįl Ó Cléirigh and the Annals of the Four Masters
(1632-6)
10: Tadhg Ó Dśshlįine: 'A Basis for Knowledge about Ireland': Geoffrey
Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (c.1634)
11: Nollaig Ó Murįķle: John O'Donovan's Edition of the Annals of the Four
Masters (1848-51)
12: Lesa Nķ Mhunghaile: Historians, Antiquarians, and Irish Book History in
the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
13: Vincent Morley: Hugh MacCurtin (c.1680-1755) and the Importance of Print
14: Diarmaid Ó Doibhlin: Devotional Literature in Gaelic Ireland in the
Eighteenth Century
15: Ciarįn Mac Murchaidh: Bishop James Gallagher's Sermons (1736)
16: Andrew Sneddon: Bishop Francis Hutchinson and The Church Catechism in
Irish (1722)
17: Mķcheįl Mac Craith: James Macpherson (1736-96): Father of Fingal, Father
of Ossian, Last of the Race
18: Lesa Nķ Mhunghaile: Charlotte Brooke and Reliques of Irish Poetry (1789)
19: Dorothy Nķ Uigķn: Bolg an tSolair: Gaelic Magazine (1795) and the
Recommencement of Printing in Irish
20: Éamonn Ó Ciardha: Irish-Language Print Culture, 1691-1900
21: Alan Titley: The Pious Miscellany (1802) of Tadhg Gaelach Ó Sśilleabhįin
(c.1715-c.1795)
22: Proinsias Ó Drisceoil: John O'Daly (Seįn Ó Dįlaigh, 1800/3-78):
Publishing Pioneer and Language Revivalist
23: Niall Ó Ciosįin: Print Literacy in Irish in the Nineteenth Century
II. PUBLISHING IN IRISH: LATE NINETEENTH TO TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
24: Brian Ó Conchubhair: The Irish Book, 1876-1923
25: Mįirtķn Ó Murchś: The Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language,
1876-1942
26: Fionnuala Uķ Fhlannagįin: An Gaodhal/The Gael (Oct. 1881-Dec. 1904)
27: Caoilfhionn Nic Phįidķn: Bernard Doyle and Fįinne an Lae (1898-1900)
28: Breandįn Ó Conaire: Sharpness and Light: An Claidheamh Soluis
(1899-1932)
29: Liam Mac Cóil: O'Growney's Simple Lessons in Irish (first published
1894-1900)
30: Seįn Ua Sśilleabhįin: Peadar Ó Laoghaire, Séadna (1894-1901), and after
31: Pįdraigķn Riggs: The Irish Texts Society (1898-)
32: Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh: The School of Celtic Studies, Dublin Institute for
Advanced Studies (1940-)
33: Cathal Ó Hįinle: The Development of a Standard for Modern Irish: An
Caighdeįn Oifigiśil (1945) and after
34: Seįn de Fréine: The Road Back: Book Publishing in Irish in the Twentieth
and Twenty-First Centuries
35: Gearóidin Uķ Laighléis: An Gśm (1926-)
36: Cian Ó hÉigeartaigh: Sįirséal agus Dill (1945-80)
37: Mįirķn Nic Eoin: An Clóchomhar (1954-2008)
38: Aindrias Ó Cathasaigh: Coiscéim: A Cultural Revolution (1980-)
39: Frank Sewell: 'From his H.Q. at the Kitchen Table': Cló Iar-Chonnacht
(1985-)
40: Ciarįn Mac Murchaidh: Cois Life (1995-2019)
41: Dorothy Nķ Uigķn and Liam Mac Amhlaigh: Learned Journals and Popular
Journalism in Irish, 1795-2010s
42: Antain Mag Shamhrįin: Irisleabhar Mhį Nuad (1899-) and its Reception
43: Brian Ó Cathįin: A Learned Assembly: Éigse (1939-)
44: Caoilfhionn Nic Phįidķn: Mapping the Furrow: Comhar (1942-)
45: Siobhįn Nķ Laoire: Celtica (1946-)
46: Liam Mac Mathśna: Irish Lexicography, 1920s-2010s
47: Greg Toner: The Royal Irish Academy's Dictionary of the Irish Language
based mainly on Old and Middle Irish (1913-76)
48: Diarmuid Ó Sé: Heinrich Wagner's Linguistic Atlas and Survey of Irish
Dialects (1958-69)
49: Liam Mac Amhlaigh: Prof. Tomįs de Bhaldraithe (1916-96) and his Impact on
Irish-Language Lexicography
50: Séamus Mac Mathśna: Some Irish Dictionary Projects with Special Reference
to Ulster University's English-Irish/Irish-English Dictionary
51: Liam Mac Mathśna: Nonfiction: Peig Sayers' Peig .i. A Scéal Féin (1936)
and its Reception
52: Diarmuid Breathnach and Mįire Nķ Mhurchś: Nonfiction: Beathaisnéis: A
Biographical Dictionary
53: Liam P. Ó Murchś: Nonfiction: Breandįn Ó Buachalla's Aisling Ghéar: Na
Stķobhartaigh agus an tAos Léinn, 1603-1788 (1996)
54: Gearóid Denvir: Connaught Writers and the Irish Book, 1900s-2000s
55: Lillis Ó Laoire: Irish-Language Book History in Donegal
56: James Bennett: Educational Publishing in Irish: The Context, Production,
and Reception of Irish-Language Primary School Textbooks, 1920-90
57: Rķona Nic Congįil: Irish-Language Children's Literature: A Short History,
1900s-2015
58: Dįithķ Ó hÓgįin: Folklore in Irish Book History, 1800-2000s
59: Dįithķ Ó hÓgįin: 'A Burning Urge to Save': Béaloideas (1927-)
60: Patrick McKay: Place-names and the History of the Irish Book
61: Michael Cronin: Translation in Irish-Language Book History
62: Pįdraig Ó Fiannachta: An Bķobla Naofa (1981): its Production,
Dissemination, and Reception
63: Maolmhaodhog Ó Ruairc: European Union Publications in Irish-Language
Translation, 1972-2010
64: Pįdraig Ó Gormaile: Breandįn Ó Doibhlin's French-Irish Translations,
1994-2004
65: Caitrķona Nķ Chléirchķn: Translation Issues and the Contemporary Irish
Book: Biddy Jenkinson and Nuala Nķ Dhomhnaill
66: Pól Ó Dochartaigh: German Scholars and the Book in Irish, 1830s-2010s
67: Art Hughes: Celtic Studies as an Academic Discipline in France,
1870s-2000s
68: Séamus Mac Mathśna: The Slavic Contribution to Irish and Celtic Studies,
1630s-2010s
69: Dorothy Nķ Uigķn: Irish-Language Journalistic Efforts in the Late
Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries in America, England, and Australia
70: Kenneth E. Nilsen: Irish-Language Publishing in North America: Some
Gaelic Columns but Very Few Books
71: Tomįs Ó hĶde: Mainly Pedagogy-Driven: Irish-Language Publishing in the
Irish-American Diaspora, 1870s-2000s
III. DESIGN MATTERS: THE ART OF THE BOOK IN IRISH
72: Dermot McGuinne: Irish Printing Type Fonts, 1560s-1960s
73: Dermot McGuinne: The Roman versus the Irish Character
74: Gerard Long: Irish-Language Book Illustration and Design, 1893-2000s
75: Dermot McGuinne: Colm Ó Lochlainn and the Sign of the Three Candles
(1926-72)
76: Theo Dorgan: Nods to Tradition and Signposts to a Future: Leabhar Mór na
hÉireann (1991) and An Leabhar Mņr (2002)
IV. THE BOOK IN IRISH: RECEPTION AND COLLECTION
77: Rióna Nķ Fhrighil: State Censorship of Irish-Language Publications in the
Twentieth Century
78: Conchur Ó Giollagįin: Bestsellers in Irish in the Twentieth Century
79: Gus MacAmhlaigh: A Book Collector's Perspective, 1950s-2000s
80: Mįiréad Nic Craith: From an Oral to a Print Tradition: The Case of the
Islandman (1854-1937)
81: Deirdre Nķ Loingsigh: The Bibliographical Legacy of An Seabhac
(1883-1964)
V. SOURCES: PRINT AND ONLINE
82: Ksenia Kudenko: A Guide to Sources for Irish-Language Book History:
Histories, Catalogues, Bibliographies, Online Resources, Libraries, and
Archives
Éamonn Ó Ciardha is a Reader in History and Irish at Ulster University and has taught History, English, and Irish at the University of Toronto, the Keough Institute for Irish Studies, University of Notre Dame, Trinity College Dublin, the University of the Saarland, the University of Vienna, Framingham State University MA, and Ulster University. His recent publications include The Plantation of Ulster: Ideology and Practice (with co-editor Micheįl Ó Siochru, Manchester, 2012), The Politics of Identity in Post-conflict States (with co-editor Gabriela Vojvoda, Routledge, 2015), and Monaghan: History and Society (with co-editor Patrick Duffy, Dublin, 2017).
Frank Sewell is a writer, translator, and senior lecturer in Irish Literature and Creative Writing at Ulster University. Former Irish-language editor of H.U. / The Honest Ulsterman journal, he has written, edited, and co-edited numerous books and anthologies. In the late 2010s, he edited and translated the poems of Seįn Ó RĶordįin (Yale, 2014) and also of Mįirtķn Ó Direįin (Wake Forest, 2020). His original poems and other translations have been widely anthologized, including in The New North: Contemporary Poetry from Northern Ireland, ed. by Chris Agee (Wake Forest, 2008, 2011), and published in journals from Poetry Ireland to Poetry (Chicago).
Alan Titley is a scholar, a columnist with The Irish Times, a novelist, a short-story and fable writer, a literary historian, a broadcaster, and a dramatist. He was head of the Irish Department in St Patrick's College, Drumcondra from 1981 until appointed Professor of Modern Irish in University College Cork in 2006. He has been a Professor Emeritus since 2011 when he retired. He has won many awards. His play Tagann Godot (Clóchomhar, 1991) was performed in the Abbey Theatre / Peacock Theatre in 1990 and An Ghrįin agus an Ghruaim was performed in the Samuel Beckett Theatre in 1999. His plays have also been broadcast by BBC and RTÉ radio. His novels include Lįmh, Lįmh Eile (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 2018) and Gluaiseacht (An Gśm, 2009). His critical work An tŚrscéal Gaeilge (Clóchomhar, 1991) is a seminal study of the Irish-language novel.
