10 E. R. McDix on 



We now turn to the consideration of William Kearney. 

 The first mention of William Kearney as a printer is found in 

 the Acts of the Privy Council of 20/2 1st August, 1587. The 

 name, however, is spelt phonetically " Carney." He is described 

 as a relative of John O'Kearney, who is stated to have made the 

 translation of the Book of Common Prayer, etc., into Irish, and 

 that it had not been printed for lack of native printers. William 

 Kearney is then stated to have been for 12 or 14 years, both in 

 England and abroad, a printer, having learned printing and 

 become most expert, and consequently he is recommended to the 

 authorities in Dublin to be employed for the purpose of printing 

 the New Testament. Kearney is spoken of as the bearer of the 

 letter, and it is curious that there is no mention of his arrival 

 with this important letter amongst the Calendars of Irish State 

 Papers. Perhaps he came and did not receive encouragement. 



Then William Kearney is found some three years later back 

 in London again printing there, but in October, 1591, he is per- 

 mitted to pass into Ireland with his Irish printing press, and I 

 think that we may assume that he then came to Ireland, because 

 we very soon find a William Kearney " printing for the new 

 University which Queen Elizabeth had founded in Dublin, and 

 his name appears as printer to the Government on the imprint to 

 a Proclamation appearing in 1595. 



It is interesting to note that there was an edition of this 

 Proclamation printed in Irish, undoubtedly by William Kearney, 

 with his fount of Irish type. He fell out with the authorities of 

 Trinity College and left them, but in 1597, March 18, they 

 endeavoured to get him back again on certain terms. What 

 became of Kearney is not known. 



It may be pointed out that the only certain specimen of 

 Kearney's printing here (i.e. 1595) is entirely in Roman type, 

 and the one initial letter used in it is quite different from that 

 used by Powell, while in the " Alphabet and Catechism " and 

 "Religious Poem" printed in 1571 some of Powell's initial 

 letters and ornaments occur. 



