Catherine Finn (1749? – 1832) was an Irish printer and owner of ''
Finn's Leinster Journal''.
Life
Catherine Finn was born Catherine Butler around 1749. She was the daughter of
Kilkenny
Kilkenny ( , meaning 'church of Cainnech of Aghaboe, Cainnech'). is a city in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region and in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinst ...
printer, Michael Butler (died 1779). She was married to printer
Edmund Finn
Edmund 'Garryowen' Finn (13 January 1819 – 4 April 1898) was an Australian journalist and author who wrote many colorful descriptions of the life and people in early Melbourne.
Background
Finn was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, the son ...
, founder and printer of ''Finn's Leinster Journal''. After her husband's death on 5 April 1777, Finn continued to print and publish the Journal. She ran the printing business, while raising seven children, until 1805.
She sold advertisement space, organised editorial content, and oversaw the printing and the distribution. The Finns were also the local agents for Maredant's
Antiscorbutic
Scurvy is a deficiency disease (state of malnutrition) resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, fatigue, and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, ...
Drops, Dr Ryan's Antiscorbutic Drops, and Dr Ryan's Pectoral Essence of Colt's Foot, which were also advertised in the Journal. They sold a wide variety of books, text books, annuals and periodicals in their Kilkenny bookshop and stationery office.
In 1783, Finn is listed as the Kilkenny agent of the Hibernian Insurance Co. in Wilson's Dublin Directory. Finn died in 1832, aged 83.
The Finn's eldest child, Michael, married Sarah Williams in 1796, the daughter of a Dublin bookseller James Williams (died 1786). Michael made an unsuccessful attempt to run his mother's printing business, changing the tone of the Journal and unsuccessfully applied for a government subvention.
See also
*
List of women printers and publishers before 1800
This list of women printers and publishers before 1800 includes women active as printers or publishers prior to the 19th century. Before the printing press was invented, books were made from pages written by scribes, and it could take up to a ye ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finn, Catherine
1740s births
1832 deaths
People from Kilkenny (city)
18th-century Irish publishers (people)
18th-century Irish businesswomen
19th-century Irish businesswomen
19th-century Irish businesspeople