In April 1985 we published our first three titles under the newly-founded imprint, The Columba Press. The three books were Masses with Young People by Donal Neary SJ, Funeral Homilies edited by Liam Swords, and Disturbing the Peace by Eamonn Bredin.

Since then we have grown substantially and now publish across a broad range of areas, including pastoral resources, spirituality, theology, the arts, and history. We publish approximately thirty-five new titles per year and have around 350 books in print.

In 2001 we published The Glenstal Book of Prayer. This book has sold over 150,000 copies worldwide and it topped the bestsellers list in Ireland for eighteen weeks! This was followed in 2004 with the very successful Book of Common Prayer for the Church of Ireland, which also, in its various editions, sold over 120,000 copies. In 2008, the monks of Glenstal Abbey followed up with the long-awaited second volume, The Glenstal Book of Daily Prayer.

Our continuing publishing programme seeks to keep up with the rapid changes in both church and society. Among Columba’s bestselling authors are James P. Mackey. Daniel J. O’Leary, Mark Patrick Hederman, Pat Collins, Tony Flannery, Sean Fagan and Brian D’Arcy.

In addition to our own publishing programme, Columba is also the European distributor for several leading US and Canadian publishers, and the Irish distributor for a number of British and Irish imprints.

The Columba Press

The Name: Columba is the Latinised form commonly used for the name of the Irish sixth-century saint, St Colmcille. Founder of major monasteries at Derry, Durrow and Kells in Ireland, Columba also went to Scotland as a missionary where he founded the monastery of Iona.

Columba has also, of course, a distinct relevance to publishing since tradition has it that he was responsible for the first judicial ruling on copyright. Around 560 AD he borrowed an illuminated manuscript from St Finnian and secretly copied it. Finnian demanded that both the original and the copy be returned to him. The dispute was referred to the High King whose ruling was: 'le gach bó a buinnín, agus le gach leabhar a chóip' 'to every cow her calf and to every book its copy.'

The Logo: The name Colmcille can be translated into English as 'Dove of the Church'. Bill Bolger who has designed almost all of our book covers, took the inspiration for the logo from a carving representing Noah's ark on the West Cross at Killary, Co Meath. He then cut a broad quill pen and drew the logo free-hand, the central motif being the Dove and the idea of travel and international connection being symbolised by waves of the sea.

The Colophon: The distinctive script-form of our name was designed by Liam Miller, using a Czechoslovakian uncial.

Legal Information

The Columba Press
The Columba Bookservice
55A Spruce Avenue
Stillorgan Industrial Park
Blackrock
Co Dublin
Ireland

Tel: + 353 1 294 2556
Fax: + 353 1 294 2564
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Registered in Ireland
Reg. No. 111687
VAT No. 4805799B

The Columba Press is an imprint of The Columba Bookservice Ltd.

Directors:
Neil Kluepfel (USA)
Patricia Kluepfel (USA)
Patricia Lowth
Seán O Boyle (Managing)
Monica O Boyle
Cecilia West (Sales)
Michael Brennan

For further information please contact Cecilia West, Sales Director, The Columba Press. Tel. 353 1 294 2556 ext. 202. Email. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Who's who at Columba:

Publishing
Seán O Boyle, Publisher
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Sales & Marketing
Cecilia West, Sales Director
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Michael Brennan, Director and Sales Manager Ireland
Ext 211 Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Mobile 087 267 9011

Patrick O'Donoghue, Sales Representative
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Valerie Devitt, Office Administrator
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Patricia Lowth, Director and Business Manager
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Jacqueline Lowe, Financial Manager
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How to submit a manuscript:

The Columba Press encourages authors to send their book proposals to us should they fall within our publication categories.
You may send your proposal to Seán O Boyle, Publisher via email or post. His details are listed above.

Your proposal should be comprised of:
• A one page summary of your book
• A proposed Table of Contents
• A sample chapter
• A short biographical note