A visit to the National Print Museum

By Breda Nathan

It started out as an ordinary hopefully interesting few hours, visiting the National Print Museum in Beggars Bush, Dublin.

We would see the old press machines and as they were launching a memoir, hear some old stories and chat to people we knew many years ago.

However it turned out to be gripping and enchanting.

It is well worth a visit. You walk in the door and history literally comes alive.

The Machine that printed the first 1916 proclamation is just inside the door. Still in working order and a the first copy is framed in a glass case beside it.

All the Letterpress and Lithographic machines are there and the now retired printer volunteers can show you how they worked and the unbelievable work that went into typesetting and letterpress printing equipment. The machines are set up in the 1960s style and ready to go for the visitors.

These volunteers set the entire exhibition and are rightfully proud of their craft.

It has to be cared for, knowledge of these wonderful skills would be such a loss to future generations.

They have also contributed directly or indirectly to all the museums in the country. Many books and press reports displayed in other settings, started out on these machines.

Some of them go back to the fifteenth century.

When you think of the part printing played in all our lives, going back to our first story books comics and school books.

Our newspapers before modern technology took over, it’s breathtaking. It got me thinking too, of reading from newspapers and magazines.

There is no fast forward button. Now when you read it all, then ask someone did they see it and they may tell you they saw the headline on their smart phone, didn’t go any further. Something is lost.

As this is the only such museum in Ireland, the memoir, ‘STRANGE TYPES AND ODD SORTS’ is welcome too. This was a collaboration of work by the Fighting Words, retired printers and the print museum.

Fighting Words was co-founded by Roddy Doyle and Sean Love in 2009.

It provides free mentoring in creative writing for people of all ages Roddy also launched the book and his long and hilarious career added so much to the project.

He also remembered his late father, who happened to be a printer.

Colm Quearney welcomed all into the Fighting Words workshop to meet and chat or argue about memories and incidents on a weekly basis, I’m sure he went home many evenings with a headache… He smiled through it all.

Stories of the late night news reports and sports reporting were hilarious.

The journalists would have to attend scenes or games and report back in person at all times of the day or night.

There were also some sad tales of accidents and one fatal incident was recalled with horror.

A lovely tribute was paid to Con Houlihan. Described as the best sports reporter ever.

Con was a very quiet man, loved by everyone. Few would argue with this description.

My own memories of his match reports were perfection.

Carla Marrinan, CEO of the museum is friendly and welcoming.

Along with the volunteers, all questions are answered and ‘hot metal’ explained and understood by everyone.

This of course makes it so much more interesting for younger people and must be attractive for schools and children everywhere.

At the end of your educational tour. There is a lovely coffee shop, to enjoy a cup or tea or coffee and a tasty snack.

Yes, my evening in Beggars Bush, National Print Museum was perfect.