Dublin's Trade in Books 1550-1800

The Irish book trade has hitherto been viewed as a footnote to the English trade. This is the first book-length study of Irish bookselling practices, particularly those of Dublin, in their own right. The study draws on a wealth of material - daybooks, imprints, advertisements, and the books themselves - to build up a detailed picture of the fortunes and practices of Irish bookselling.

The English book trade bore heavily on the Irish, especially in the areas of legal restraints and censorship. Interestingly, there are documented instances of book-smuggling to Britain. But the study does not concentrate solely on relations with London: it looks at the market at home, the structure and economic background to the Dublin trade, and at what books were published and for whom. In particular, it examines the significant expansion of the book trade during the eighteenth century, and surveys imports and exports for the first time.