Life
1942- ; Irish literary publisher and bibliographer of Yeats; b. England;
ed. TCD; collected books of Irish Literary Revival in Dublin; later acquired
Lady Gregory’s library and papers, and later still the residue of
Dolmen Press stock of 150 titles in 1987; commenced publishing with his
partner Peter Bander-van Duren, 1966, using revenue from sale of his collection
of first edns. of W. B. Yeats and Dun Emer/Cuala Press to Dublin City
Library; published religious, educational and historical subjects; moved
to Gerrards Cross (Bucks.), 1967; addressed Yeats Summer school in Sligo
under directorship of T. R. Henn, 1968; commenced publishing an Irish
List at that date, going on the publish 145 titles in the area during
the ensuing thirty years; published Lady Gregory’s works as “Coole
Edition” from 1970; became Terry Pratchett’s publisher commencing
with The Carpet People (1971), and later his literary agent; purchased
stock of Dolmen Press from liquidators after death of Liam Miller, issuing
new contracts to many of the authors; rep. editions of other writings
incl. George Moore, Hail and Farewell, ed. Richard Cave; Dramatic Works of Denis Johnston (3 vols), ed. Joseph Ronsley; Irish
Drama Selections, ed., Ronsley and Ann Saddlemeyer; also plays of
T. C. Murray, George Fitzmaurice, originally issued by Dolmen, and others;
serves as publisher to the Princess Grace Irish Library and to the Ulster
Editions & Monographs series (gen. ed. Robert Welch); Visiting Professor,
University of Ulster; performed official opening of Yeats Summer School,
1983; received honorary degree from TCD, 1998;
Criticism
There is an interview article in Books Ireland (Feb. 1999),
pp.9-10.
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Notes
Early publications incl. editions of Peter Bander’s One for the
Road and Two for the Road (1966), handbooks on the teaching
value and morality to school-children; also Carlos Thompson, The Assassination
of Winston Churchill (q.d.), concerning the death of General Sikorski
in 1943 and contesting David Irving’s groundless charge that Churchill
was responsible; Smythe commenced an Irish list following his lecture
on Lady Gregory at Yeats Summer School under directorship of T. R. Henn
in 1968, going on the publish 145 titles in the area during the ensuing
thirty years; embarked on publication of Lady Gregory’s works in
response to query by Lester [Les] Conner, resulting in Coole Edn., ed.
Smythe and & Henn, 1970- ; published The Holy See and the International
Order (1976), by Archbishop H. E. Cardinale, Apostolic Delegate
to Britain and later Nuncio to the Common Market [EU]; the same author's
Orders of Knighthood, Awards and and the Holy See (1983, 1985)
was replaced by Peter van Duren Bander, Orders of Knighthood and Awards
of Merit (1995). [Notes supplied by Colins Smythe, Ltd.]
Business address at Colin Smythe, PO BOX 6 Gerrards Cross, Bucks ENGLAND SL9 8XA; tel. 01753 886000; fax 01753 886469; website www/colinsmythe.co.uk.