County Tipperary is in a unique situation in the province of Munster, sharing a border with the provinces of Connacht to the west and Leinster to the east and north. It has a boundary with counties Limerick, Clare and Galway to the west, with Cork and Waterford to the south and east, and Kilkenny, Laois (Queen's County) and Offaly (King's County) to the east and north. This geographical position meant direct road access to the capital in Dublin and the cities of Kilkenny, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. It has no coastal area but is bounded to the west by the River Shannon, leading to Limerick and the Atlantic, and the River Suir to the south, giving access to the ports of Waterford and New Ross and to the Irish Sea in the east.

John Senex, A new map of Ireland (1720), detail showing County Tipperary. Daniel Augustus Beaufort, A new map of Ireland (1797), detail showing County Tipperary. Bernard Scale, An Hibernian atlas (1776), showing the province of Munster (Courtesy Dublin City Library & Archive)

In the first half of the eighteenth century the county was underdeveloped, its inhabitants poor and its communications networks backward. However, by the last quarter of the century economic conditions improved, trade developed and carriage by road and river facilitated movement and trade. Education became more widely available and literacy increased, creating a wider literate public leading to a demand for printed materials. In the early years of the eighteenth century books, periodicals and newspapers circulating in the county were brought in from Dublin, Limerick, and Cork, and imports from London would have come mainly through Irish booksellers. The earliest references to those involved in the book trade come from subscription editions of books, periodicals or newspapers. At a time when demand for print was low, dedicated booksellers are not found outside the larger cities, those in the country towns combined bookselling with other occupations, such as merchant, grocer or apothecary. In County Tipperary the main centres for the book trade were Clonmel, Cashel, and Carrick-on-Suir, with some activity in Roscrea, Nenagh, Thurles and Tipperary town.

Taylor and Skinner's Maps of the roads of Ireland (1778), details showing Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel and Clonmel.

Newspapers:

From the late seventeenth century Irish readers had access to newspapers published in Dublin and London. Subscribers were mainly confined to official bodies and wealthy individuals, the earliest newspapers were distributed to subscribers along the post roads by the clerks of the Post Office, or by dedicated suppliers who distributed a range of Irish and English newspapers and votes of parliament. Newspapers were distributed to subscribers in Tipperary in the first half of the eighteenth century. Burke in his History of Clonmel shows receipts from the accounts of Colonel John Carleton of Darling Hill near Clonmel, sheriff of Tipperary, and the Perry family of Woodrooffe, Clonmel, for newspapers received from Dublin newspaper agents Walter Pallisser and Edmund Browning who also supplied English newspapers and votes of the House of Commons (Burke 1907, p. 346). From the 1750s newspapers published in Cork, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford also began to circulate in Tipperary. The first newspapers printed in the county did not appear until the 1770s: The Hibernian Gazette, or Universal Advertiser (Clonmel, 1771), The Clonmel Gazette, or Hibernian Advertiser (Clonmel, 1778), and Lord's Munster Herald (Cashel, 1788).

When local provincial newspapers began to be published in the mid eighteenth century they were delivered to drop off points or to individual subscribers by messengers on horseback or through the postal network. Newspaper agents were appointed by the printers to oversee delivery of newspapers, and to receive payment. The newspaper agents also undertook to distribute books and periodicals, so they fulfilled the place of booksellers in the smaller towns. Their role was an important one, as they were responsible for the collection of monies for subscriptions and advertising. In the larger towns the agent could be a printer or bookseller, but a range of individuals undertook this role: postmasters, inn keepers, merchants, apothecaries and private gentlemen. Newspaper printers warned subscribers not to give money to the messengers, but to pay their representatives in town, or at seasonal gatherings such as fairs and the assizes. In 1771 Hugh and James Ramsey in Waterford inserted a notice in The Waterford Chronicle: 'the printers request that such gentlemen as are indebted to them in Clonmell, for newspapers, advertisements, books, &c. will pay in the amount thereof, as a person attends there at the house of Mr Edmund Dwyer, with proper receipts' (Waterford Chronicle, 12-16 Jul 1771). Edmund Finn printed a notice in Finn's Leinster Journal when one of his clerks lost a small book covered with marbled paper containing printed receipts, on the road between Clonmel and Loughlober in 1773, some receipts were filled in with subscriber's names and signed by Finn while others were blank, a reward for its recovery could be claimed from James White or Edward Collins in Clonmel (Finn's Leinster Journal, 13-17 Mar 1773).  

In 1754 Eugene Swiney, printer, bookseller and publisher of The Corke Journal, with his printing office in Paul Street, Cork, inserted a notice in the paper addressed to gentlemen and advertisers, informing them that he had established 'at considerable expense' a courier between Cork and Clonmel, serving the towns of Kilworth, Rathcormack, Castlelyons, Clogheen and Clonmel (Corke Journal, 8 Apr 1754). The twice weekly paper was commenced in December 1753 (Corke Journal, 7 Dec 1753), and the following April Swiney was extending its circulation to south Tipperary, at a cost of a half guinea (10s.6d.) per annum, dropped 'at any house on the road, seal'd up and directed' for subscribers. He needed a certain number of subscribers to make it worthwhile to employ a courier, in December 1753 he required 100 subscribers in order to establish a delivery to Youghal, County Cork (Corke Journal, 11 Dec 1753). His agents in Tipperary were Dennis McCraith at the Globe Inn in Clogheen and Patrick Brennock, merchant in Clonmel. Brennock was agent for The Corke Journal in 1754, but he also sold books and in 1749 had been subscription agent for Seven sacraments, to be published by Patrick Lord in Dublin and Jer Caldwell in Waterford, the subscription proposal was advertised in Jer Calwell's edition of The oeconomy of human life, published in Waterford. Dennis McCraith and Patrick Brennock were also subscription agents for an abortive project to publish The Clonmell Journal in 1771 (Finn's Leinster Journal, 30 Jan-2 Feb 1771).

Edmund Finn, printer and bookseller in Kilkenny, began publication of Finn's Leinster Journal in 1767. The twice weekly newspaper had a wide circulation in Kilkenny, Tipperary, Laois, Carlow, Waterford, Wexford and North Cork. Finn appointed a number of agents in Tipperary to facilitate its local delivery; annual subscriptions of a half guinea (10s.6d.) and advertisements were taken in and messengers were employed to deliver the newspapers and magazines. As the agents came from a variety of trades and social situations changes of personnel were frequent, in its early years several Tipperary agents were involved in its distribution (Finn's Leinster Journal, 11-14 Feb 1767; 25-28 Mar 1767; 26-30 Sep 1767; 13-17 Aug 1768; 21-25 Jan 1769; 27-31 May 1769; 8-11 Nov 1769; 4-7 Nov 1772; 27-30 Oct 1773). Robert Dudley, merchant and bookseller, was its earliest Clonmel agent in 1767 and 1768, followed by Andrew Fogarty in 1769, and James St John in 1772 and 1773. Edward Collins, printer and bookseller, was agent in Clonmel in 1773, and James White, merchant, in 1773 and 1774 (Finn's Leinster Journal, 13-17 Mar 1773; 5-9 Mar 1774). Carrick-on-Suir was served by William Durick in 1767, John Carshore, merchant, in 1768 and 1769, James Sause at the end of 1769 and John Verlin in 1772 and 1773; Dennis McCraith at the Globe Inn in Clogheen was agent in 1767; John Bray in Fethard was agent from 1768 to 1772; William St John, merchant and seedsman, was Cashel agent from 1769 to 1773, Robert Constable in Mullinahone and Patrick Common (or Comman) in Thurles, were agents in 1768 and 1769, Nathaniel Goodwin was Thurles agent and James Johnston Mullinahone agent in 1772 and 1773. By 1769 new agents were appointed in Killenaule, John Bacon and later Thomas Bailly, and Nicholas Cummins in Nine-Mile-House, a well known inn on the high road from Cork to Dublin, and a stopping point for the mail carriages (Finn's Leinster Journal, 14 Nov 1789). Edward Fox was Roscrea agent in 1772 and 1773.

Finn's Leinster Journal, 11-14 Feb 1767; 20-24 Aug 1768; 8-11 Nov 1769, lists of subscription agents for the newspaper.

The Limerick Chronicle was published by John Ferrar from 1768, it circulated in counties Limerick, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary and Offaly (Limerick Chronicle, 13 Mar 1769). His agent in Tipperary town was William Smithis, and it was also delivered twice a week to Newport and Nenagh. Smithis had subscribed to Ferrar's History of Limerick, published in 1767. When Ferrar published Bowen's Spelling book in 1774 William Smithis in Tipperary, Mr O'Brien in Silvermines and Ed Mulconry in Silver Street, Nenagh, were selling agents (Limerick Chronicle, 6 Jan 1774; 24 Nov 1777; 5 Jan 1778). In 1779 a notice in the Limerick Chronicle advised subscribers 'in and about Tipperary' to call for their papers at the shop of Edmund Dwyer, apothecary, where they were regularly dropped (Limerick Chronicle, 13 May 1779). Ferrar produced a catalogue of books, paper and stationery which was given free to his customers (Limerick Chronicle, 13 Mar 1769). Ten years later Ferrar's catalogue of books was sent to 'all places in the country where his news-paper is delivered' (Limerick Chronicle, 15 Feb 1779). Bookshop stock was made available to country readers in this way, local agents could take orders from the catalogue, and books and periodicals were sent to readers with their newspapers.

In late 1770 agents were listed for Ramsey's Waterford Chronicle, a twice weekly paper begun by Hugh and James Ramsey in Waterford in 1765(Waterford Chronicle, 28 Dec 1770 - 1 Jan 1771; 11-14 Jun 1771). The Ramseys' Tipperary agents included James Wall in Newtown, Sam Holland in Cashel, George Lloyd and Edmond Dwyer in Clonmel, John Danks in Carrick-on-Suir, and Amyas Griffith Esq. in Fethard. Griffith was a writer and excise officer, who later founded and edited The Public Monitor newspaper in Dublin in 1772. His three act comedy, The Swadler, was printed in Clonmel by Edward Collins in 1771. Griffith's time as agent for the Ramseys was short and Samuel Brown of Fethard took over for the towns of Fethard and Killenaule (Waterford Chronicle, 11-14 Jun 1771; 17-20 Dec 1771). Twenty years later The Waterford Herald had an extensive circulation in counties Waterford, Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Limerick, Carlow, Tipperary, Offaly, Wicklow, Wexford, Clare, Kildare, Kilkenny and Galway, and as far as London and Bath (Waterford Herald, 4 Feb 1792). It used the postal network to deliver the papers, and the post office agents in Tipperary were James Morrissey in Cashel, William Hutchinson in Carrick-on-Suir, and Mr Shaw in Clonmel (Waterford Herald, 4 Feb 1792).

In June 1802 The Cork Mercantile Chronicle printed a list of its agents in Munster and beyond (Cork Mercantile Chronicle, 28 Jun 1802; 3 Jan 1803). A continuation of The Hibernian Chronicle, published in Cork by William Flyn since 1769, the printing was taken over by Flyn's son in law, James Haly, in 1801. The Tipperary agents were Thomas Gorman, printer and bookseller, serving Clonmel and Thurles, Mr D. Power in Carrick-on-Suir, and the post office in Clogheen. 

The circulation of newspapers in Tipperary, which were printed in surrounding counties as well as in Dublin, provided advertising and news coverage for most of the eighteenth century. But, an enterprising newspaper publisher from London sought to find a foothold in the market in the 1770s. In 1773 William Bingley made a tour of Munster and Leinster gathering subscriptions for two London newspapers, The Independent Chronicle, costing one guinea and one crown (£1.6s.) per annum, and Bingley's London Journal, costing 13s British. He appointed a number of individuals around Ireland to act as agents for the newspapers (Hibernian Chronicle, 26 Aug 1773; Freeman's Journal, 19-21 Oct 1773). Bingley attended the assizes at Cork, Kilkenny and Clonmel and on his return to London subscriptions and advertisements for his two publications were taken by his Tipperary agents, Edward Collins, printer and bookseller, and Mr Shaw, postmaster, in Clonmel, W. Neve in Cashel and R. Rumbold in Tipperary town(Finn's Leinster Journal, 31 Jul-4 Aug 1773; 28 Aug-1 Sep 1773; 30 Jul-3 Aug 1774; Hibernian Chronicle, 26 Aug 1773; 6 Sep 1773; Freeman's Journal, 19-21 Oct 1773).

Tipperary newspapers:

Locally printed newspapers in Tipperary date from about 1771, but the very poor survival of issues makes it difficult to be precise about their operation (nli.ie, Newsplan online). A minimum number of annual subscribers was essential to the viability of a newspaper venture. Revenue from advertising was the mainstay of a provincial newspaper, official and government notices accounted for a regular income, but the vast majority of notices were inserted by local businesses and services ('Eighteenth-century newspaper publishing in Munster and South Leinster', mairekennedybooks.wordpress.com). Not all ventures were successfully established, and some were established but could not be sustained. In February 1771 Francis Bray of Fethard issued proposals to set up a printing office to print a newspaper in Clonmel, to be called the Clonmell Journal. It would be published twice a week and it was aimed at readers in 'the extensive and opulent County of Tipperary'. The paper would contain foreign and home news and prices from the markets in Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick. The paper was aimed at subscribers in Tipperary, Kilkenny, Waterford and Cork, and subscriptions were charged at a rate of 8s.8d. in town, 11s.4½d. in the country, or 1d. for a single paper (Finn's Leinster Journal, 30 Jan-2 Feb 1771). Agents took subscriptions in Clogheen (Dennis McCraith and Michael Keogh), Carrick (Francis Baron and Edward Fitzgerald), Mullinahone (Thomas Oldis, Esq.), Thurles (Robert Shee), Slievardagh and Killenaule (William Howly, Esq. and Mr Mackey, apothecary), Cashel (Lawford Miles Esq. and Robert Keating), Fethard (Richard Sankey, Esq., Amyas Griffith, Esq. and John Bray), and Clonmel (Patrick Brennock and John Kearney), County Tipperary;  Kilkenny and Callan, County Kilkenny; Waterford and Dungarvan, County Waterford; and Mitchelstown, County Cork. Response must have been slow, as another notice published in March acknowledged the support of some subscribers, and requested new subscribers to send in their names (Finn's Leinster Journal, 9-13 Mar 1771). There is no surviving issue of this paper, and the establishment of the Hibernian Gazette, printed in Clonmel by Edward Collins later that year, suggests that it failed to raise sufficient support to become viable.

The Clonmel Gazette, or Hibernian Advertiser, 7-10 Jan 1788, masthead. Power's Clonmel Gazette and Munster Mercury, 16-19 Jun 1802, masthead.

The Hibernian Gazette, or Universal Advertiser was founded by Edward Collins in Clonmel in 1771. It was issued twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. Only two issues survive: volume II, no. 1 (20-23 Jul 1772) and volume III, no. 52 (13-17 Jan 1774), this would give it a start date of July 1771. Its circulation extended to counties Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, Limerick, Clare, Laois and Offaly. This is borne out by advertising from businesses in Clonmel, Cashel, Silvermines, Cahir, Nenagh, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow and Kilworth, County Cork. The title had changed to The Clonmell Gazette, or Hibernian Advertiser by about 1776 (Clonmell Gazette, vol. II, no. 85, 12-15 Jan 1778). By at least 1791 Edward Collins was joined by George Heaslop as printer of the Gazette (Clonmell Gazette, 10-13 Aug 1791). Edward Collins died in 1794 and the Gazette continued until at least 1795. Burke suggests that the title continued with a change of name, ownership and politics (Burke 1907, p. 349). Power's Clonmel Gazette and Munster Mercury began publication in late 1801, the typeface used in the main title of its masthead identical to that of Edward Collins's paper (Clonmel Gazette, 16-19 Jun 1802, volume 1, no. 59). Although not a continuation of the Clonmell Gazette, there was some transfer of title and perhaps printing stock, but the change of political orientation, to support the Catholic party, suggests that it was a separate enterprise. Edmond Power was the proprietor and in June 1802 he advertised for an apprentice 'of good connections' and informed his readers that an elegant type had been cast for the paper and would shortly arrive at his office (Clonmel Gazette, 16-19 Jun 1802). The newspaper lasted until 1804, when the loss of a libel action against Power ruined him (Power 1804; Burke 1907, p. 349-350). George Heaslop, Edward Collins's former business partner who was mayor of Clonmel in 1798, began a new newspaper, The Clonmel Journal, in August of that year. It was published twice a week and printed by S. Collins, Edward's successor (Clonmel Journal, 11 Aug 1798; Burke 1907, pp 350-351). This is likely Stephen Collins, who was mayor of Clonmel in 1800. Only two issues of the Journal have survived (Clonmel Journal, 24 Sep 1800; 1 Oct 1800), and it seems to have closed about 1804 (Burke 1907, p. 350).

Thomas Lord arrived in Cashel in 1788 and set up the first printing press in the town to publish a new newspaper. One issue of Lord's Munster Herald, or General Advertiser has survived (Munster Herald, 14 Apr 1788) and evidence suggests that this title was short lived ('Patrick and Thomas Lord: Catholic printers and booksellers', mairekennedybooks.wordpress.com). Lord's time in Cashel was short, but he may have settled in Roscrea in north Tipperary about 1794. It is not clear if Thomas Lord was active in Roscrea, working with William Lord and Thomas Henry Lord, probably his sons. They established a newspaper, The Roscrea Southern Star; or, General Advertiser in August 1795 with its printing office in Limerick Street, becoming that town's first printers, but Thomas's name is not on the imprint of the sole surviving issue, Edward Dudley in Roscrea was given as agent for the paper (Roscrea Southern Star, 19 Aug 1795). The paper continued until at least 1797, but in 1798 the press was 'burnt by the yeomanry in suspicion of printing seditious ballads' (Burke 1907, pp 358-359).  

The Clonmel Herald was founded by George Grace in 1802, with William Duffy as printer, but the earliest surviving issues date from 1828. George Grace is listed at Mary Street in 1820 (Pigot 1820-22). Duffy had his printing office at the King's Arms, Main Street, and in 1815 he was advertising the sale of water colours, imported from London (Belfast News Letter, 29 Dec 1815). Mrs Rumbold, bookseller, at the corner of Johnson Street, Clonmel, is listed as one of its agents in 1802 (Bradshaw 1916, ii, p. 824). William Bayly Upton, printer, succeeded as proprietor after Grace's death and is listed in Johnson Street in 1824 (Pigot 1824). The Clonmel Advertiser was founded in 1811, printed by William Carson who had been printer of the successful Waterford Mirror (founded in 1801), for proprietor Richard Farrell in Waterford, so he came to the project with valuable experience (Burke 1907, p. 352). It was a twice weekly newspaper, published on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The printing office was at Johnson Street from 1811 to 1820, and at Bagwell Street in 1824 (Pigot 1820-22; Pigot 1824). The early years of the Advertiser have not survived, issues from July 1813 to April 1838 are available.

Books and periodicals:

Books and periodicals were available on a limited scale in Tipperary for most of the eighteenth century. Wealthy readers could order their books directly from Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny or Limerick, less well-off readers had to rely on local merchants who carried a small stock of publications, who held catalogues from booksellers, such as John Ferrar in Limerick, or who acted as subscription agents for individual books. Cheap publications, chapbooks, devotional literature and ballad sheets would have been sold by travelling pedlars tramping the countryside and at markets and fairs. Dedicated bookshops began to appear in the 1770s when locally printed newspapers also began to circulate. The earliest reference we have for a bookseller in Clonmel is from 1680, when William Vaughan is named on the imprint of a London printed text, Shepherdy spiritualiz'd, or, The improvement of a shepherd's life to soul-advantage by James Woode (Wood 1680). Another imprint of this edition names Joseph How in Castle Street, Dublin, as the seller. William Connor in Clonmel was agent for the sale of The trial of Doctor Henry Sacheverell in 1710 (Dublin Intelligence, 24 Jun 1710; 1 Jul 1710). In 1720 George Bagwell in Clonmel was subscription agent for Sixteen sermons by Increase Mather, of Boston (Dublin Courant, 4 Jul 1720). C. Daniel was subscription agent in Cashel for Major Richardson Pack's Miscellaneous works in verse and prose printed in Dublin in 1726 (Dublin Weekly Journal, 2 Jul 1726). Burke notes from the Carleton accounts in 1730, payment of 3s.6d. in cash to one Gorman in Clonmel for Caesar's Commentaries, probably a school book (Burke 1907, p. 358).

In the 1740s and 1750s Patrick Brennock, merchant in Clonmel, was involved in the sale and distribution of books and newspapers. Burke notes him as a bookseller in 1747 (Burke 1907, p. 358), in 1751 he was subscription agent for an edition of The assertion and defence of the seven sacraments by Henry VIII, due to be published by Pat Lord in Dublin and Jer Calwell in Waterford, in 1754 he was newspaper agent for The Corke Journal (Corke Journal, 8 Apr 1754), and in 1771 he was agent for the Clonmell Journal, the new newspaper proposed by Francis Bray (Finn's 30 Jan – 2 Feb 1771). Exshaw's London Magazine, a monthly periodical published in Dublin, was distributed in Tipperary during the 1740s and 1750s, by Robert Turner in Cashel from 1746 to 1750 and in Clonmel by J. Cumin from 1747 to 1748 and Thomas Butler in 1750. William Airy in Clonmel, and Joseph Evans in Tipperary, were subscription agents for Dialogues concerning education in two volumes duodecimo, printed in Cork by Phineas and George Bagnell in 1754 (Corke Journal, 19 Feb 1754). Evans subscribed to 14 sets of the work, which strongly suggests local sale. Subscribers who took six sets were entitled to one gratis, at five English shillings (5s.5d. Irish) each, Evans would have saved 10s.10d. on the order. Evans subscribed to a single copy of Temple's History of the Irish rebellion, published in Cork by Phineas and George Bagnell in 1766.

Cork Evening Post, 26 Jun 1766; 29 Jan 1767, advertisements for Robert Dudley, Clonmel.

Robert Dudley, Quaker merchant in Clonmel, acted as newspaper and subscription agent during the 1760s and 1770s. In 1763 he subscribed to George Roberts, Juvenile poems, printed in Limerick for the author by John Cherry, which may have been a personal purchase. He had business contacts with Phineas and George Bagnell, printers, booksellers and papermakers in Castle Street, Cork, in the 1760s. In 1766 he was selling Archbishop Edward Synge's A discourse concerning the laws ecclesiastical and civil, printed by them in octavo the previous year, and selling for 1s.1d. (Cork Evening Post, 26 Jun 1766). He was subscription agent for their publication of Sir John Temple's History of the rebellion in Ireland in 1766, selling for 5s.5d. bound in calf (Cork Evening Post, 29 Jan 1767). In 1767 and 1768 he was agent for Finn's Leinster Journal, and in August 1767 subscribers in and around Clonmel were requested to discharge their accounts for Finn's Leinster Journal by applying to Robert Dudley (Finn's Leinster Journal, 11-14 Feb 1767; 26-29 Aug 1767; 14-17 Sep 1768). He subscribed to 12 copies of James Jenkins, Juvenile poems, printed in Waterford by Esther Crawley in 1773, volumes clearly meant for resale.

Thomas Chaytor, a teacher in Clonmel, subscribed to six copies of Juvenile poems by James Jenkins in 1773 and two copies of Miscellaneous poems by Edward Mandeville, printed in Waterford by John Veacock in 1798. These were possibly for the use of his students, or perhaps to be awarded as premiums or prizes for exemplary results or behaviour. Finn's Leinster Journal noted an amusing shop sign in Tipperary town in 1788: 'Joseph Prossor, bookseller, stationer, map and print seller; watchmaker, jeweller and toy maker; iron-monger, bell-hanger and hardware-seller; boot and shoe maker, glazier, hatter and Methodist preacher' pointing to the diversity of activities often undertaken by country booksellers (Finn's Leinster Journal, 24-27 Sept 1788). Mrs Ellen Russell in Carrick-on-Suir and William Gorman, merchant in Clonmel, were subscription agents for The Vulgate bible to be printed in Dublin at a cost to subscribers of £1.9s.3d., bound in calf (Finn's Leinster Journal, 27-31 Mar 1790). This was the Douai bible, translated from Latin and approved by the Catholic church, printed in Dublin in royal quarto format by Hugh Fitzpatrick for Richard Cross. As well as being agent for the Bible William Gorman subscribed for 20 copies of the text, anticipating sale to non-subscribers. Mr Rumbold, bookseller in Clonmel, is listed as sales agent for the monthly periodical of science, belles letters and history, Anthologia Hibernica, published in Dublin in 1793 and 1794 (Anthologia Hibernica 1793-94). In 1799 Thomas Gorman, bookseller and stationer, and J. Taylor in Clonmel were agents for The New Magazine, printed in Dublin by John Gough (New Magazine, July 1799; Cork Advertiser, 3 Aug 1799).

Edward Collins:

Edward Collins was the first dedicated bookseller and printer in Clonmel and founder of The Hibernian Gazette newspaper, from about 1771 to his death in 1794. One of the Protestant administrative elite, Collins served as justice of the peace for the county of Tipperary, and was mayor of Clonmel in 1787. As well as being a printer, bookseller and newspaper proprietor he was also a patent medicine agent and wine merchant. Burke states that Collins was a native of Cork, probably based on the entry in the subscription list in Temple's History of the Irish rebellion in 1766 where Mr Edward Collins of Cork was described as 'compilater of mineral types' (Temple 1766; Burke 1907, p. 347). It is not certain that this is the same Edward Collins, but he did have a Cork connection and he died at Anngrove, Carrigtwohill, in East Cork in 1794. His bookshop carried a wide range of stock, books, newspapers, periodicals and almanacs, as well as patent medicines. He sold books and periodicals from London, Dublin and Cork. In 1772 he was selling Timothy Delany's Cork almanack printed in Cork by William Flyn. He stocked monthly issues of John Wheble's Lady's Magazine, the first volume published in London in August 1770, and The lady's memorandum book, an annual publication printed in London. One of his more expensive publications was the latest edition of Bollingbrooke's Abridgement of the public statutes of Ireland, now in force and in general use, selling at £1.17s.6d. This volume, printed in London, was essential for legal and administrative bodies or individuals (Hibernian Gazette, 20-23 Jul 1772). He sold the annual Watson's almanack (1s.1d.) and The English Registry (6½d), both published in Dublin (Hibernian Gazette, 13-17 Jan 1774). In 1776 and 1777 he subscribed to three sets of Goldsmith's History of the earth, published in Dublin by James Williams. In 1777 and 1778 he was subscription agent for the Magazin à la mode, a monthly periodical in French compiled by Charles Praval, a French teacher in Dublin. Published by William and Henry Whitestone in Dublin, it ran from May 1777 to April 1778 (Kennedy 1994; 'Charles Praval: eighteenth-century French teacher', mairekennedybooks.wordpress.com). He was subscription agent in 1778 for The complete dictionary of arts and sciences (Freeman's Journal, 15-17 Jan 1778). This was a Dublin edition to be issued in 75 weekly parts, coming to three volumes folio illustrated with 150 engraved plates when completed. The cost to subscribers was a British shilling (1s.1d. Irish) per number, or for those who wanted it delivered with their monthly magazines, the cost for four numbers per month was 4s.4d. He was licensed agent to sell such popular patent medicines as Maredant's Antiscorbutic Drops (Hibernian Journal, 5-7 Apr 1775) and Dr Ryan's Pectoral Essence of Colt's Foot at 3s.3d. per bottle (Clonmell Gazette, 12-15 Jan 1778).

Freeman's Journal, 30 Dec-1 Jan 1778, advertisement for The complete dictionary of arts and sciences. Le magazin à la mode (1777), titlepage.

In 1778 Collins advertised a list of new books which included A treatise on forest trees by William Boutcher, published in Edinburgh in 1775, selling for 5s.10d.; Momus, or the laughing philosopher for 2s.11d., published in Dublin by James Williams in 1777, the text was originally printed serially in The Westminster Magazine; Political tracts for 2s.11d.; Sylvester O'Halloran's An introduction to the study of the history and antiquities of Ireland, illustrated with copper plates, for 17s.4d., published in Dublin in quarto format by Thomas Ewing in 1772 and reissued in London by John Murray the same year; Select poetical works of William Dunkin in two volumes, first published in Dublin in 1769-1770; Lord Chesterfield's Letters to his son in two volumes octavo for 14s.1d. or in four volumes duodecimo for 12s.8d., the Letters went into five editions in London and Dublin in 1774, with the sixth edition in 1775 and the seventh in 1776; and The speaker, or miscellaneous pieces by William Enfield for 3s.6d., published in London and Dublin from 1774, with the third edition in 1777 (Clonmell Gazette, 12-15 Jan 1778). This list  of up-to-date popular works displays a breadth of interest to appeal to Collins's customers. Collins's death occurred on 16 September 1794 at Anngrove, County Cork (Hibernian Chronicle, 18 Sep 1794; Anthologia Hibernica 1794, p. 240). He was succeeded by S. Collins, who was printer of George Heaslop's Clonmel Journal, first issued on 11 August 1798 (Burke 1907, p. 350).

Thomas Gorman:

Thomas Gorman was printer, bookseller, stationer, newspaper and subscription agent, wholesale paper and patent medicine agent, and lottery agent in Main Street, Clonmel, from at least 1796. He was a Catholic bookseller, disseminating works of Catholic interest and he was the first publisher of Tadhg Gaelach Ó Súilleabháin's (Timothy O'Sullivan) popular Catholic devotional work, Pious miscellany. He may have succeeded William Gorman, who was subscription agent in Clonmel in 1790 for the Catholic Vulgate Bible, printed in Dublin (Finn's Leinster Journal, 27-31 Mar 1790). Thomas was in business at least until 1817, when he was listed for the sale of lottery tickets (Freeman's Journal, 11 Oct 1814; 16 Jan 1816; 11 Apr 1817). He was succeeded as printer by his widow, Catherine, named in the census of 1821 (Dix 1912; Bradshaw 1916, ii, p. 824) and by Ellen Gorman, printer, bookseller and stationer, listed at Main Street, Clonmel, in the 1820s (Pigot 1820-22; Pigot 1824).

Bookseller's label of Thomas Gorman, c.1796.

Thomas Gorman's shop on Main Street was variously named Shakespeare's Head (1801-1812), Wholesale Paper and Patent Medicine Ware-House (1801), Mirror Office (1802) and County Tipperary Printing Office (1802). A bookseller's label from about 1796 reads: 'Sold by T. Gorman, bookseller and stationer, Main-Street, Clonmel, The greatest variety of account-books, stamps of every description, magazines, &c. &c. at his shop' (Reeve 1796). In 1796 Gorman subscribed to 25 sets of Rev. Joseph Morony's Sermons, printed in Dublin in two volumes duodecimo by Thomas McDonnel and displaying an impressive subscription list of Catholic clergy taking multiple sets of the work. In 1799 he was agent for The New Magazine, printed in Dublin by John Gough (New Magazine, July 1799; Cork Advertiser, 3 Aug 1799). In 1801 and in 1802 he advertised his Wholesale Paper and Patent Medicine Ware-House, on Main Street, which was 'regularly supplied with every new work of merit, mercantile and common account books, and stationary in general' (Waterford Mirror, 28 Nov 1801). He acted as agent for The Waterford Mirror in 1802, taking in advertisements and subscriptions at the Mirror Office on Main Street, and The Cork Mercantile Chronicle in 1802 and 1803 (Waterford Mirror, 20 Jan 1802; Cork Mercantile Chronicle, 3 Jan 1803). His advertisement for new books in 1802 offered 'every new work of merit, soon as published in the United Kingdom, with a variety of stationary, &c. may be had at his shop – fishing tackle, &c. &c.' (Waterford Mirror, 20 Jan 1802). He was agent for George Wall's Hibernian preceptor printed in Parsonstown (Birr), County Offaly, by Joseph Bull in 1810. He continued to stock patent medicines, such as the Balm of Gilead, anti-impetigines, essence of mustard, coltsfoot, and horehound (Waterford Mirror, 28 Nov 1801; Clonmel Gazette, 9-13 Oct 1802; 3-6 Nov 1802) and Duigan's Balsam of Licorice, which he was licensed to sell in 1811 (Ramsey's Waterford Chronicle, 19 Nov 1811). One of his staple commodities was Warren's Original Japan Liquid Blacking, a product for the care of leather produced in London, for which he was agent; it was sold in stone bottles at 3s.9d. a quart, 2s. a pint and 1s.1d. a half pint (Finn's Leinster Journal, 7 May 1808; Ramsey's Waterford Chronicle, 22 Feb 1812).

Waterford Mirror, 28 Nov 1801; 23 Jan 1802, advertisements for Thomas Gorman.

His printing career began about 1802, in an advertisement he noted that 'he has fitted up, in a very extensive manner, a complete Printing-Office, ... where all orders in that line, will be executed at the shortest notice, and in a style of taste, elegance, and correctness, much superior to any hitherto known in this town or county, and on terms that will generally please' (Waterford Mirror, 20 Jan 1802). His printing output was typical of Catholic booksellers of the period, concentrating on works of devotional literature in small formats, selling cheaply, chapbooks and song books. One of his earliest productions was a popular volume of Irish language religious poetry by Tadhg Gaelach Ó Súilleabháin, Pious miscellany, which he published by subscription in 1802 (Ó Ciosáin 1996; Sharpe 2014; Sharpe and Hoyne 2020). Poems and songs from this collection had circulated throughout Munster in manuscript form in Tadhg's lifetime, and for many years after his death in 1795. So popular was this text among Catholic readers that more than twenty editions were published in the first half of the nineteenth century, four surviving editions were printed in Clonmel from 1802 to 1816, with further editions printed in Cork, Cappoquin, County Waterford, Limerick and Dublin up to the 1860s. The text in Irish was printed in Roman rather than Gaelic type, the title and editorial matter was in English. The books were cheaply produced in paper covers, a common occurrence with Catholic devotional literature, and would have sold for a few pence.

Samuel Fennell, Original poems (1811); Tadhg Gaelach Ó Súilleabháin, Pious miscellany (1812), titlepages.

In 1802 or 1803 Gorman printed The harp of Erin: consisting of a choice collection of the most fashionable, convivial and Bacchanalian songs, toasts, etc., etc., made up of 108 pages in duodecimo. He printed works of Catholic devotion and in 1804 he published The love of Jesus: a new and correct translation from the French of H. M. Boudon. Gorman printed a number of official and government proclamations, including a broadside, List of the tolls and dues of Clonmel in 1802 and Tipperary presentments in 1814. He printed a 22 page pamphlet, Thoughts on a late advertisement in 'The Dublin Evening Post', on the subject of tithes, in 1807. In 1808 he published a novel by Mrs Penelope Aubin, first published in London in 1726, The life and adventures of Lady Lucy, the daughter of an Irish lord. This was printed in small format sextodecimo (16mo) by Gorman for the Catholic bookseller Patrick Wogan in Dublin, and was likely destined for the country market. In 1811 he printed Samuel Fennell's Original poems, in duodecimo format with frontispiece portrait and advertisement, and a chapbook, The renowned history of Valentine and Orson, in sextodecimo format. In 1815 he printed another title in Irish for a Catholic readership, An teagasg cristuy, agus urnihe na mainne, agus na trahnona, a 56 page catechism first published in 1774 (Sharpe and Hoyne 2020).

1800-1824:

By the early nineteenth century book trade networks in Tipperary had expanded considerably and the demand for printed books had increased. Dedicated bookshops and circulating libraries are found in a number of towns in the first two decades of the century. Mr Linton was bookseller in Cashel in 1809 and 1810 when he was sales agent for Sir James Ware's Ancient Irish histories published in Dublin in 1809 and for George Wall's Hibernian preceptor printed in Parsonstown (Birr) by Joseph Bull in 1810. Mr Spaight, bookseller in Nenagh, was also agent for Wall's Hibernian preceptor in 1810. Charles Bianconi, later well known throughout Ireland for his road coaching services, advertised as a print seller in Clonmel in 1811. The advertisement for the sale of paintings, prints, drawings, looking glasses, and  'commands for him [to be] directed to Mr Bull and Mr Farrell, booksellers, The Quay, Waterford' (Ramsey's Waterford Chronicle, 14 Nov 1811). In Clonmel two individuals are associated with what may be the same circulating library in Dublin Street, Archibald Heuston, circulating library, and Margaret Lynch who is named as circulating library keeper (Pigot 1820-22). George Higgins was bookseller and stationer in Duncan Street, Clonmel, in 1820 (Pigot 1820-22), and Cornelius Higgins was bookseller, bookbinder and stationer in Dublin Street, Clonmel, in 1824 (Pigot 1824). James Kearney was bookseller and stationer in Main Street, Clonmel, in 1824 (Pigot 1824). Michael Boyle was bookseller, stationer and library keeper on Main Street, Carrick-on-Suir, in 1824 (Pigot 1824). Two booksellers are listed in Roscrea in the 1820s, Paul Eggers, printer and bookseller in Castle Street, who subscribed to six copies of William Stitt's Practical architect's ready assistant in 1819 and was listed in Pigot's Directory in 1824, and John Cleary, bookseller in Main Street, Roscrea, in 1824 (Pigot 1824).

Local printing:

Aside from the publication of newspapers few items were printed in the county during the eighteenth century, and they were mostly confined to proclamations, school books or works of local interest. Edward Collins was Clonmel's first printer, in addition to publication of The Hibernian Gazette, he printed The swadler. A new comedy of three acts. Written by Amyas Griffith, in 1771. He advertised it with other new publications in The Waterford Chronicle,'a new comedy of three acts, (as 'twas performed in Dublin for eighteen nights successively with universal applause, but never before in print) entitled the Swadler, written by Amyas Griffith of Fethard, Esq.' (Waterford Chronicle, 14-17 May 1771).

Waterford Chronicle, 14-17 May 1771, advertisement for The swadler. Patrick Lynch, The pentaglot preceptor (1796), titlepage.

Thomas Lord, Catholic printer and bookseller, made an attempt to establish a printing business in Tipperary, first at Clonmel in 1786 and then at Cashel in 1788, where he set up the town's first press, before moving on to Roscrea ('Patrick and Thomas Lord: Catholic printers and booksellers', mairekennedybooks.wordpress.com). Lord printed at least two books during his stay in Clonmel, a 16 page octavo pamphlet The upright lives of the heathens (1786), first published in London in 1683, and a 50 page account of The life and conversion of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, an African prince (1786). This narrative had a popular appeal, and editions were printed in England, Scotland and America from the early 1770s, and a Welsh language version from 1779. It had later Irish editions, printed in Dublin in 1790 and Cork in 1791.

The first press was set up in Carrick-on-Suir in the 1790s by school master, Patrick Lynch, and printer, John Stacy, and the first item from the press was Lynch's Paddy's portable chronoscope in 1792 (Dictionary of Irish biography online). An interesting school text by Lynch, was printed by subscription at the press in 1796, the first of a proposed five volume set. Printed by John Stacy, The pentaglot preceptor; or elementary institutes of the English, Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Irish languages, only volume one, A complete grammar of the English tongue,  made it into print. Subscriptions were to be taken by Patrick Lynch, school master, Carrick-on-Suir, and subscriber's names were to be appended to each volume. It was issued in octavo format and was reissued in 1802 with the 'Preliminary discourse' dated May 1st 1802, and again in 1805. Stacy issued an Irish language text in 1796, Oific na hoige Naomhtha Muire. Translated for the use of the Carmelites, by P. O'Neill, a single copy of which was held in Cambridge University Library, but does not appear in the current catalogue (Bradshaw 1916, ii, p. 819). Stacy printed a 32 page pamphlet, A serious address to people of all denominations professing Christianity by Thomas Leary, in 1800, and a play written by himself, The good natured Irishman: or, the corporal bewitch'd: a farce in two acts, written by John Stacy, in 1806.

W. Price, printer in Cashel, printed a proclamation in a single sheet folio in 1798, Notice to the inhabitants of town and neighbourhood of Tipperary. Other surviving notices and proclamations from this period do not name the printer, for example Grand Jury Room, Clonmel, March 12, 1796, To the Honourable Francis Hely Hutchinson, High Sheriff of the County of Tipperary in 1799 and Notice, Clonmel, September 13th 1799, printed at The Public and Military printing Office, near the bank. The census return for Clonmel in 1821 lists William Carson, printer, and three apprentices in Gordon Street, William Goggin, printer, in Main Street, Mrs Catherine Gorman, widow, printer, in Main Street, and John Hackett, printer with one apprentice, in Main Street (Dix 1912). William Goggin, was a printer on Main Street, Clonmel, in the 1820s (Pigot 1820-22; Pigot 1824), although Burke believed that he spent no more than a year in Clonmel (Burke 1907, p. 359). He printed street ballads and chapbooks for the country market. A native of Limerick, he was related to the family of printers, booksellers, stationers and copper-plate printers, who traded at the Shakespeare Press in Limerick from at least 1784 and specialized in the production of chapbooks, prayer books, school books and ballad sheets (Herbert 1942). Dix notes five slim small format 16mo song books, printed by Goggin in Clonmel about 1820, each comprising eight pages containing a number of songs with two woodcuts, The new broom sweeps clean, The banks of Claudy, Castle Hyde, The admired song of Youghal harbour and Captain Wattle (Dix 1912). He also printed the 20th edition of the Catholic Catechism compiled by Dr James Butler, coming to 72 pages in diminutive 24mo. (Dix 1912). Hugh Hearn, printer in Carrick-on-Suir, issued a prospectus in 1816 for Original Irish poems in the Irish language, Blaithfleasg na milsean, only one part of which was published (Dix 1907).

John Hackett was printer, wholesale and retail bookseller, stationer, bookbinder, paper merchant, library keeper and patent medicine agent at Main Street, Clonmel, from at least 1818 to 1854 (Pigot 1820-22; Pigot 1824; Commercial directory 1839). He specialized in distributing books of Catholic interest. In 1818 and 1819 he printed two small format Irish language devotional works using Roman type, Leavar beag na rosaries, a book of devotional pieces in 16mo, written by Patrick Denn, school teacher, of Cappoquin, County Waterford, and Machtnuig go maith air, think well on't, in 18mo, written by Rev. Dr Richard Challoner and translated into Irish by Patrick Denn. He advertised his stock and services at the back of Machtnuig go maith air, including a notice that he had purchased new types from England for his Military and Public Printing Office (Sharpe 2020, pp 497-498). He printed Selim: a Turkish tale by G. Fitzgerald in 1821 and a 32 page Letter to the people of Ireland on the present disturbed state of the country in 1822. In 1826 he issued a prospectus for a new newspaper, The Tipperary Free Press, and the first issue appeared on 23 December 1826(Burke 1907, pp 352-353). He continued to sell patent medicines and in 1830 advertised the Cordial Balm of Life (Belfast News Letter, 29 Jun 1830; 21 Sep 1830). J. Hackett printed the annual reports of the Clonmel Mechanics' Institute from 1842 to 1854. John Hackett was printer of The Catholic Directory in 1846. William Hackett is listed as printer, medicine and foreign snuff warehouse on Main Street, Clonmel, in 1824 (Pigot 1824).

Conclusion:

From the late seventeenth century the printed word circulated in Tipperary; with newspapers, books and pamphlets distributed from Dublin and London. In the absence of dedicated bookshops before the 1770s it is interesting to pick out the almost invisible network of agents who facilitated the spread of printed materials: general merchants, grocers, apothecaries, inn keepers and private individuals. This shifting population of individuals discharged the role of bookshops in a limited way, by distributing books, magazines, newspapers and stationery, taking subscriptions for books and newspapers, and filling orders from catalogues. Clonmel was the main centre for the book trade in eighteenth-century Tipperary. The town had strong links with Kilkenny and Waterford, which had successful printing enterprises from the 1760s. Newspaper publishing took off in the early 1770s providing news and advertising to businesses and the administration. Book production was small scale, and mainly confined to pamphlets, devotional works, school books, official and commercial notices, and items of local interest. The nineteenth century saw an increase in book trade activity, with bookshops and libraries listed in several towns. Most of the county's printed needs were supplied from Dublin and local printing centres of Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork and Limerick.

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries the Irish language was widely spoken in Munster, especially among the Catholic population. While most items printed in the region were in English a number of Irish language texts were also produced and found a willing audience. Printers and booksellers serving the country market distributed Irish texts, and printers such as John Stacy in Carrick-on-Suir, Thomas Gorman and John Hackett in Clonmel, printed their own editions. While Irish typefaces were designed and cast in printing centres on the continent, such as Louvain, Rome and Paris in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and were available in Dublin from the late eighteenth century, they were not among the typefaces available to a provincial printer. The devotional texts printed in Carrick and Clonmel used Roman, a type to be found in a regular provincial workshop.

Book Trade Personnel in Eighteenth-Century Tipperary

Name Location Dates Occupation
Airy, William Clonmel 1754 Subscription agent
Bacon, John Killenaule 1769 Newspaper agent
Bagwell, George Clonmel 1720 Bookseller, subscription agent
Bailly, Thomas Killenaule 1769 Newspaper agent
Baron, Francis Carrick-on-Suir 1771 Newspaper agent
Bianconi, Charles Clonmel 1811 Printseller
Bray, Francis Fethard; Clonmel 1771 Newspaper printer
Bray, John Fethard 1768-1772 Newspaper agent
Brennock, Patrick Clonmel 1747-1771 Bookseller, merchant, newspaper agent
Brown, Samuel Fethard 1771 Newspaper agent
Butler, Thomas Clonmel 1750 Periodical agent
Cantwell, William Carrick-on-Suir 1767 Newspaper agent
Carshore, John Carrick-on-Suir 1768-1769 Newspaper agent, merchant, painting oils and colours
Carson, William Clonmel, Johnston St 1811; 1820; Bagwell St 1824 1811-1824 Printer, newspaper proprietor and publisher
Chaytor, Thomas Clonmel 1773-1798 Subscription agent
Cleary, John Roscrea, Main St. 1824 Bookseller
Collins, Mr Tipperary 1797 Postmaster, subscription agent
Collins, Edward Clonmel, Barrack St 1771-d.1794 Printer, bookseller, newspaper printer, patent medicine agent, wine merchant, mayor of Clonmel (1787)
Collins, S. Clonmel 1794-1798 Printer, newspaper printer
Common, Patrick Thurles 1768-1769 Newspaper agent
Connor, William Clonmel 1710 Bookseller
Constable, Robert Mullinahone 1768-1769 Newspaper agent
Cumin, J. Clonmel 1747-1748 Subscription agent
Cummins, Nicholas Nine-mile-house 1769 Newspaper agent
Daniel, C. Cashel 1726 Subscription agent
Danks, John Carrick-on-Suir 1771 Newspaper agent
Dudley, Edward Roscrea 1795 Newspaper agent
Dudley, Robert Clonmel 1763-1773 Newspaper and subscription agent, merchant
Duffy, William Clonmel, Main St, King's Arms 1802-1815 Newspaper printer
Durick, William Carrick-on-Suir 1767 Newspaper agent
Dwyer, Edmond Clonmel 1770-1771 Newspaper agent
Dwyer, Edmond Tipperary 1779 Apothecary, newspaper agent
Eggers, Paul Roscrea, Castle St. 1819-1824 Printer, bookseller
Evans, Joseph Tipperary 1754-1766 Subscription agent
Fitzgerald, Edward Carrick-on-Suir 1771 Newspaper agent
Fitzgerald, E. Clonmel 1821 Printer
Fogarty, Andrew Clonmel 1769 Newspaper agent
Fox, Edward Roscrea 1772-1773 Newspaper agent
Goggin, William Clonmel, Main St. 1820-1824 Printer
Goodwin, Nathaniel Thurles 1772-1773 Newspaper agent
Gorman, Catherine Clonmel, Main St 1821 Printer
Gorman, Ellen Clonmel, Main St. 1820-1824 Printer, bookseller, stationer
Gorman, Mr Clonmel 1730 Bookseller
Gorman, Thomas Clonmel, Main St., Shakespeare's Head 1801-1812; Co. Tipperary Printing Office, Main St 1802. 1796-1817 Printer, bookseller, stationer, subscription agent, wholesale paper and patent medicine agent
Gorman, William Clonmel 1790 Merchant, subscription agent
Grace, George Clonmel, Mary St. 1802-1822 Newspaper proprietor, barrister
Griffith, Amyas Esq. Fethard 1770-1771 Writer, excise officer, newspaper agent
Hackett, John Clonmel, Main St 1819-1824; Military & Public Printing Office 1819; Public Library, Main St 1826; Tipperary Free Press Office 1826-1830; 101 Main St. 1839-1854 1818-1854 Printer, wholesale + retail bookseller, stationer, paper merchant, bookbinder, library keeper, patent medicine agent
Hackett, William Clonmel, Main St. 1824 Printer, medicine and foreign snuff warehouse
Hearn, Hugh Carrick-on-Suir 1816 Printer
Heaslip, George Clonmel 1790-1793 Newspaper printer
Heuston, Archibald Clonmel, Dublin St. 1820-1822 Circulating library
Higgins, Cornelius Clonmel, Dublin St. 1824 Bookseller, bookbinder, stationer
Higgins, George Clonmel, Duncan St. 1820-1822 Bookseller, stationer
Holland, Sam Cashel 1770-1771 Newspaper agent
Howly, William, Esq. Slievardagh and Killenaule 1771 Newspaper agent
Hutchinson, William Carrick-on-Suir, Post Office 1792 Newspaper agent
Johnston, James Mullinahone 1772-1773 Newspaper agent
Kearney, James Clonmel, Main St. 1824 Bookseller, stationer
Kearney, John Clonmel 1771 Newspaper agent
Keating, Robert Cashel 1771 Newspaper agent
Kelly, William Clonmel 1771 Paper and card sales, grocer
Keogh, Michael Clogheen 1771 Newspaper agent
Linton, Mr Cashel 1809-1810 Bookseller
Lloyd, George Clonmel 1770-1771 Newspaper agent
Lord, Thomas Cashel 1770-1780; 1788 Printer, newspaper publisher, bookseller
Lord, Thomas Clonmel   1786 Printer, newspaper publisher, bookseller
Lord, Thomas Roscrea 1797-1798 Printer, newspaper publisher, bookseller
Lord, Thomas Henry Roscrea, Limerick St, Southern Star Printing Office   1795-1802 Printer, newspaper publisher, auctioneer
Lord, William Roscrea, Limerick St, Southern Star Printing Office 1795 Printer, newspaper publisher
Lynch, Margaret Clonmel, Dublin St. 1820-1822 Circulating Library keeper
McCraith, Dennis Clogheen, Globe Inn.   1754-d.1791 Newspaper agent  
Mackey, Mr Slievardagh and Killenaule 1771 Apothecary and newspaper agent
Miles, Lawford, Esq. Cashel 1771 Newspaper agent
Morrissey, James Cashel, Post Office 1792 Newspaper agent
Mulconry, Ed. Nenagh, Silver St. 1778 Subscription agent
Neve, W. Cashel 1773 Newspaper agent
Nowlan, Michael Carrick-on-Suir 1769 Newspaper agent
O'Brien, Mr Silvermines 1774 Subscription agent
Oldis, Thomas Esq. Mullinahone 1771 Newspaper agent
Power, Edmond Clonmel 1800 Newspaper proprietor
Power, D. Carrick-on-Suir 1802 Newspaper agent
Price, W. Cashel 1798 Printer
Prossor, Joseph Tipperary 1788 Bookseller, stationer, map and print seller, watchmaker, Methodist preacher
Public and Military Printing Office Clonmel, near the bank 1799 Printing office
Rumbold, Mr Clonmel 1793-1794 Bookseller
Rumbold, Mrs Clonmel, corner of Johnson's St. 1802 Bookseller
Rumbold, R. Tipperary 1773 Newspaper agent
Russell, Mrs Ellen Carrick-on-Suir 1790 Subscription agent
Sankey, Richard, Esq. Fethard 1771 Newspaper agent
Sause, James Carrick-on-Suir 1769 Newspaper agent
Shaw, Mr Clonmel, Post Office 1792 Postmaster, newspaper agent
Shee, Robert Thurles 1771 Newspaper agent
Smithis, William Tipperary 1767-1774 Newspaper agent, subscription agent
Spaight, Mr Nenagh 1810 Bookseller
St John, James Clonmel 1772-1773 Newspaper agent, apothecary
St John, William Cashel 1769-1773 Newspaper agent, seedsman
Stacy, John Carrick-on-Suir 1796-1806 Printer
Taylor, J. Clonmel 1799 Subscription agent
Turner, Robert Cashel 1746-1750 Subscription agent, merchant
Upton, William Bayly Clonmel, Johnson St   1824 Printer  
Vaughan, William Clonmel 1680 Bookseller
Verlin, John Carrick-on-Suir 1772-1773 Newspaper agent
Wall, James Newtown 1770-1771 Newspaper agent
White, James Clonmel 1773-1774 Newspaper agent, merchant
Wright, Bernard Clonmel 1800 Newspaper editor

References:

Anthologia Hibernica, 1793-1794. Anthologia Hibernica, Dublin, R. E. Mercier, monthly issues in 4 volumes, 1793-1794.

Bradshaw, Henry. 1916. A catalogue of the Bradshaw collection of Irish books in the University of Cambridge, 3 volumes, Cambridge, printed for the University Library, 1916.

Burke, William P., 1907. History of Clonmel, Waterford, printed by N. Harvey and Co. for the Clonmel Library Committee, 1907.

Commercial directory 1839. The new commercial directory, for the cities of Waterford and Kilkenny, and the towns of Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, New Ross and Carlow, Kilkenny, printed by T. Shearman, 1839.

Dix, E. R. McClintock., 1907. 'Early printing in S. E. of Ireland, Carrick-on-Suir, Journal of the Waterford and South-East of Ireland Archaeological Society 10 (1907), pp 140-146.

Dix, E. R. McClintock, 1912. 'Printing in Clonmel 1801-25', Irish Book Lover, IV, no. 3 (Oct 1912), pp 42-46.

Herbert, Robert, 1942. '18th-c Limerick printing venture', Irish Book Lover, 28 (1942), 104-12.

Kennedy, Máire, 1994. 'The distribution of a locally produced French periodical in provincial Ireland: the Magazin à la mode, 1777-1778', Eighteenth-Century Ireland, 9 (1994), pp 83-98.

Loeber, Rolf and Magda, and Anne Mullin Burnham, 2006. A guide to Irish fiction 1650-1900, Dublin, Four courts Press, 2006.

McGuinne, Dermot, 2010. Irish type design: a history of printing types in the Irish character, second edition, Dublin, National Print Museum, 2010.

Nolan, William, and McGrath, Thomas G., eds, 1997. Tipperary: history and society, Dublin, Geography Publications, 1997.

Ó Ciosáin, Niall, 1996. 'Printing in Irish and Ó Súilleabháin's Pious miscellany', Books beyond the pale, ed. Gerard Long, Dublin, Rare Books Group of the Library Association of Ireland, 1996, pp 87-99.

Pigot, 1820-22. The commercial directory of Ireland … for 1820-21 &22, Manchester, published by J. Pigot, 1820.

Pigot, 1824. Pigot and Co's City of Dublin and Hibernian provincial directory (London, J. Pigot, 1824).

Power, Edmond, An accurate and faithful report of a trial held before the Rt. Hon. Lord Norbury and a special jury at Clonmel, in the County of Tipperary, Summer Assizes, 1804, wherein John Bagwell Esq., was plaintiff, and Edmond Power, Esq., defendant, for a libel, Clonmel, Edmond Power, 1804.

Reeve, Joseph, 1796. Practical discourses, Dublin, printed by P. Byrne, 1796. Bookseller's label in Dublin City Library & Archive copy.

Sharpe, Richard, 2014. 'Tadhg Gaelach Ó Súilleabháin's 'Pious miscellany': editions of the Munster bestseller of the early nineteenth century', Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 114C (2014), pp 235-293.

Sharpe, Richard, and Hoyne, Mícheál, 2020. Clóliosta: printing in the Irish language, 1571-1871. An attempt at narrative bibliography, Dublin, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 2020.

Taylor, George, and Skinner, Andrew, 1778. Taylor and Skinner's maps of the roads of Ireland, surveyed 1777, published for the authors, sold by G. Nicol, Strand; I. Murray, Fleet Street, London; and by W. Wilson, No. 6, Dame Street, Dublin, 1778.

Wood, James, 1680. Shepherdy spiritualiz'd, or, The improvement of a shepherd's life to soul-advantage by James Woode, London, printed by J. R. for Thomas Parkhurst, and are to be sold by William Vaughan at Clonmell in Ireland, 1680.

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