The Letterpress Print Workshop at the National College of Art and Design
The Letterpress Print Workshop in the Department of Visual Communication is the only working letterpress facility in third level education in Ireland. It had it origin as a small printing workshop at the College’s previous location, Kildare Street, but moved with the Department of Visual Communication to the Thomas Street campus in the early 1980s when the facility was greatly expanded under Bill Bolger, the then Head of Department.
It is used by students on a daily basis for creative projects and also as a teaching tool to introduce the fundamentals of typography. Ireland’s first practice-based Masters student in the visual arts, Joe Gervin, undertook his MA in the Print Workshop; samples of his work and that of many other students can be viewed in the Gallery section of this website.
With several operational presses, it has a substantial collection of type in a wide variety of fonts: approximately 280 cases of metal type and 110 cases of wooden type, details of which can be found on this website. Since 2008 all work of significance produced at the Print Workshop carries the Distiller’s Press logo, designed by staff member, Pat Mooney.
It is used by students on a daily basis for creative projects and also as a teaching tool to introduce the fundamentals of typography. Ireland’s first practice-based Masters student in the visual arts, Joe Gervin, undertook his MA in the Print Workshop; samples of his work and that of many other students can be viewed in the Gallery section of this website.
With several operational presses, it has a substantial collection of type in a wide variety of fonts: approximately 280 cases of metal type and 110 cases of wooden type, details of which can be found on this website. Since 2008 all work of significance produced at the Print Workshop carries the Distiller’s Press logo, designed by staff member, Pat Mooney.
