COLOURFUL PAST A selection of book covers for Irish-language literature published by FNT, which bought The Mayo News printing works in 1947 in order to print a weekly Irish language newspaper, Inniu. The first two cover designs (starting top left) are by artist Máirtín de Fuireastail, while the rest are by artist Karl Uhlemann.
De Facto
Liamy MacNally
With changes afoot here at The Mayo News due to an impending change of ownership, now might be the appropriate time to delve into its past.
Many are aware of the newspaper’s strong Republican stance as the country fought for independence. The paper’s founders in 1892, William and PJ Doris, were noted campaigners for tenants’ rights and Irish freedom.
Some of us remember the printing works on James Street, where not only was The Mayo News printed but also the Irish-language paper, Inniu. Books were also printed in Irish under the imprint Foilseacháin Náisiúnta Teoranta (FNT) (National Publications Limited). Despite its rather grandiose name, FNT was not a State body but rather a private company that received subsidies from the State to promote the Irish language through publications.
FNT published books in Irish until the late 1980s and was finally dissolved in 1993. There are probably FNT books in most houses in the area. Local bookshops with a secondhand (previously loved!) section will have FNT copies for sale.
FNT was set up in 1947, when it took over the operations at The Mayo News. It continued publishing the paper alongside Inniu and the books.
Inniu was founded by Ciarán Ó Nualláin and Proinsias Mac an Bheatha’s Glúin na Bua in 1943. Glúin na Bua was a breakaway from Conradh na Gaeilge. The Ó Nualláin name was already famous. Ciarán was a brother of well-known writer Flann O’Brien (the penname of Brian O’Nolan). Another brother, Mícheál, a noted artist, also designed many book covers, especially for the publishers Cló Morainn.
The issue of subsidies for Irish-language publications was raised in the Dáil in 1962 with questions from Ind TD Frank Sherwin (Dublin) to the Education Minister, Dr Patrick Hillery, on the total State sums paid for the publication of books in the Irish language by independent companies. It included over £6,000 to FNT to publish eleven books.
Mr Sherwin was concerned that the total annual subsidy paid to Inniu was more than twice the paid-up capital of the Glúin na Bua-controlled public company, Foilseacháin Náisiúnta Teoranta, the printers of Inniu. Minister Hillery confirmed this.
Mr Sherwin then asked the Minister for Education the total amount paid in respect of all years up to March 31, 1962, to (a) Glúin na Bua, 29 Lower O’Connell Street, Dublin, as State subsidy (i) for its paper Inniu and (ii) in respect of the publication of books in the Irish language; (b) the printers of Inniu and the Glúin na Bua-controlled public company, Foilseacháin Náisiúnta Teoranta, in respect of the publication of books in the Irish language; and (c) Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, 29 Lower O’Connell Street, Dublin, in respect of State subsidies.
The figures supplied by the minister were: (a) (i) £99,378 Os. Od.; (a) (ii) Nil; (b) £6,035 Os. 11d.; (c) £170,681 16s. 6d (representing the total of grants paid to Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge out of State funds in respect of all its various activities).
Mr Sherwin claimed that the AGM of FNT in 1962 was informed by its chairperson that State-subsidised publishing in the Irish language was ‘profitable work which should give a good return as experience in this area increased’.
Never a dull moment! Over the years, FNT published hundreds of books, including some in English. One of its most notable publications in English was ‘The Great Silence’ in 1965, with a revised edition in 1978, by Dublin writer Seán de Fréine (who also wrote the major reference work, Croí Cine, a themed anthology of writing in Irish since the earliest times). He initially wrote the book in Irish through FNT in 1960 as ‘Saoirse Gan Só’.
Portráidí, the Irish-language writers’ website (portráidí.ie), describes de Fréine as ‘a foundational influence on the sociolinguistics of Irish society and on questions of language policy’ whose work ‘has been central to academic and public discussion of issues of language, society and identity in Ireland. Saoirse Gan Só was the first book to explore the social and cultural effects of the language shift in 19th-century Ireland and has been the fundamental reference point in subsequent discussion, both academic and public’.
And it all emanated from a little printing works on the bottom of James Street, Westport.