James Duffy

James Duffy (1809 – 4 July 1871) was a prominent Irish author and publisher. Duffy's business would become one of the major publishers of Irish nationalist books, bibles, magazines, Missals and religious texts throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. He was also a major publisher of Irish fiction. He was described as having "invented a new kind of cosy family Catholicism."

Career Duffy was born in Monaghan. He was educated at a hedge school and began his business as a bookseller through purchasing Protestant bibles given to Catholics. He then traveled to Liverpool where he traded them for more valuable books. In 1830 he founded his own company, James Duffy and Sons and issued Boney's Oraculum, or Napoleon's Book of Fate, which experienced huge sales. Boney's Oraculum would later be the object of an allusion in a speech of Capt. Boyle in Seán O'Casey's 1924 play Juno and the Paycock. Another great editorial success was achieved when he collaborated with Charles Gavan Duffy (no relation) from 1843 to 1846 to publish poetry from the writers of The Nation.

By the 1860s he was employing 120 staff members at his various enterprises in Dublin. The Spirit of the Nation. Ballads and Songs by the Writers of The Nation, with Original and Ancient Music (1845) The Poetry of Ireland. Further collections from the writers of The Nation (1845-1846) The Ballad Poetry of Ireland The Book of Irish Ballads an 1861 edition of the Douay Bible, a copy of which is owned by the Central Catholic Library in Dublin John O'Hart, Irish landed gentry: when Cromwell came to Ireland (Dublin: James Duffy & Sons, 1887) John O’Hanlon, Lives of the Irish Saints, Vol 6 (James Duffy and Sons, 1891) Gerald Griffin The Invasion (Dublin, James Duffy & Sons)

Books series he published included: Duffy's Cabinet Library Duffy's Library of Ireland The Orators of Ireland

Publishing House The publishing house was based at 7 Wellington Quay, Dublin, and later at 14 & 15 Wellington Quay. James Duffy and Co. Ltd. of 38 Westmoreland Street was still in business in the late 20th century.

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