The first edition of Bolster's Quarterly appeared on the streets of Cork Ireland, 195 years ago today on 7 February 1826.

In the early years of the 19th century, Cork city in Ireland had an enviable reputation in the arts. Writers like Father Prout, William Maginn and William Thompson were dazzling London society, and artists like Daniel Maclise, John Hogan and James Barry enjoyed high reputations and patronage. Cork was known as the “Irish Athens”.

One of the most prominent literary figures in Cork city was John Bolster. He was born in Millstreet, Kilshannig, Co. Cork, in 1800 but by the 1820's was operating as a bookseller whose shop was in Patrick's Street, at the junction of the street leading to SS. Peter and Paul's Church.

Guy's printing house, pictured above, later in the century occupied the premises which was formerly Bolster's bookshop. Bolster's shop, in it's day, was the hub of intellectual life in the city; when Sir Walter Scott visited Cork in 1825, he made a point of calling to Bolster's shop. Daniel Maclise, then aged only 14, sketched the writer's portrait in the shop. Having spent the night working on one of these sketches, Maclise arrived at the bookseller's shop the next morning with an elaborate pen-and-ink drawing of Sir Walter, which was placed in the window. Sir Walter, having remarked the sketch, asked to see the artist, and shaking him by the hand predicted he would attain a high position. He then wrote his name to the foot of the drawing, which was lithographed and five hundred copies sold as soon as printed.

Bolster decided to publish a magazine and named it Bolster's Quarterly. He solicited articles from many of the local writers, among whom were John Windele, the antiquarian (who was also editor), Jeremiah J. Callanan the poet, John Augustus O'Shea and the Rev Horatio Townsend. The pub-lication had the grandiloquent subtitle, The Magazine of Ireland. John Windele, who with Richard Rolt Brash, from the early 1830's onwards spearheaded what became known as the South Munster Antiquarian Society, showed great optimism in the introductory article of the first issue of Bolster's Quarterly Magazine when it appeared in February 1826. He appears to dream of an invisible college centred on the magazine with the words: "The first number of the Magazine of Ireland must speak for itself - though we do not flatter ourselves that it will start into life armed against every shaft - we trust, like the myrtle which Minerva presented to Athenians it will strike deep root and gather round it the founders of a new academy".

Robert Day reminisced about John Bolster 's State Lottery and Printing Office, Account and School-book manufactory, Juvenile and Circulating Library, Book, Stationery and Fancy Warehouse with the words: "In years past 1have often sat and listened to Richard Sainthill, Doctor Coppinger, Richard Caulfield and Doctor Wall when gathered round the fire on a winter's evening in the Old Cork Institution , as they spoke of 'John Bolster' and his place of business in Patrick Street, which was the favourite lounge and resort of all literary men of Cork , by whom he was greatly esteemed; among them were William Maginn. the Rev. Francis Mahony, James Roche and Crofton Croker etc. .. Many others. in those restful days, took little note of time as it swiftly flew, but quiety culled from its perfumed flowers of literature much of their sweetness and fragrancy, which are now lost in the rush of business and the strife for wealth". ( 1902, 101 -3) .

John Bolster had the reputation of being careful with money, and slow to pay contributors. On one occasion he solicited an article from a visiting literary figure who, when informed that a fee would not be forthcoming, suggested that Bolster rename his magazine "The Cork-Screw".

Bolster's Quarterly survived from 1826 to 1830. It then succumbed to the old problem - irregularity of issue - brought about by the difficulty of obtaining sufficient regular copy for the magazine. After four years it ceased publication, having achieved a considerable distribution span with outlets in Dublin, Belfast, Waterford, Limerick, Oxford, Cambridge, York and Paris. It was also distributed by 'Clerks of the Road'. Canon P. Power, second professor of Archaeology at UCC and a discerning collector of locally-printed works, deposited his set of the short-lived magazine published by Bolster in the University library.

The first edition of Bolster's Quarterly appeared on the streets of Cork in Ireland 195 years ago today on 7 February 1826.