History of Early Printing in Ireland 27 



1791. Undoubtedly that work must, at that time, have had 

 attractions for some minds, there and in its neighbourhood, 

 otherwise there would not have been a Derry edition published. 



In the printing of each town there is generally some feature 

 distinguishing it from other places. It is a curious thing, it 

 seems to uic, that the extant remains of printing in Monaghan 

 mainly consist of old Song Books and little works of that kind, 

 although it includes also Goggin's Ulster Magazine at the end 

 of the century. 



Occasionally, but rarely, one comes across a little religious 

 booklet printed in Irish, roman type. 



Plays are occasionally to be found printed in provincial 

 towns, but not often. 



Provincial newspapers were common enough though now 

 so scarce and hard to find. 



However when one recollects the desti-uction of documents 

 which has taken place we cannot be surprised that so little 

 remains. The impression formed on my n)ind as to the latter 

 part of the 18th century is, that the journalistic output was far 

 greater and more extended than anyone now imagines. In some 

 cases only the name of a journal remains, or perhaps one or two 

 numbers. I would plead for the careful preservation of any 

 scrap of early printing in any of our towns. 



In the latter part of the 18th century, long before railways 

 came in, there was often a society dependent on itself in and 

 around a town and matters of local interest and disjmte appeared 

 in, or called forth, local })amphlets. 



The County Presentments began to be ])rinted in the 18th 

 century, and these are worth preserving as they often contain 

 the names of persons and places and sometimes particulars con- 

 nected with them which may be useful to genealogists and others. 



Bibliography is a science which is never complete. Again 

 and again there turns up a fragment of some early press quite 

 unexpectedly, and, besides, a great deal of spade work has still to 

 be done in official chronicles, such as State Papers, and, for the 



