Gaelic Typefaces: History and Classification

Both Lynam and McGuinne were interested in metal types, and so neither discussed modern digital typefaces. Surprisingly, however, neither discussed in detail the typewriter faces which existed for Irish, though Lynam does mention them in passing. Research on the origin dates and designers of the Gaelic typewriter faces has yet to be completed.

Between 1567 and 1964, some 57 Gaelic or Celtic typefaces were produced, as shown in the list below. At present it appears that no typeface development occurred between 1964 and 1988. If this is the case, those 24 years represent the longest hiatus known in Gaelic type design since 1800.

Since 1988, at least 50 more typefaces have been designed. We live in a time of real renaissance. However, because the tradition of Gaelic typography has been interrupted, many new designers are unfamiliar with the true insular letterforms which are essential, in Ireland at least, for a typeface to be considered authentic. Designers may "modernize" their designs to contain Carolingian g instead of the s-shaped g, and t with its ascender piercing the crossbar, on the grounds that these are somehow "easier" for the modern reader. Personally I think they have simply had their tastes dulled by overexposure to the successful and ubiquitous American Uncial. In any case, these Pseudo-Gaelic letterforms are not suitable for Irish Gaelic, and at the very least one must hope that designers will choose to provide Gaelic alternates in their typefaces, in addition to the accented letters required for the Celtic languages.

Considering the reverence given by many designers to the insular manuscript hand and the artistic traditions it belonged to, ensuring that their typefaces can be used to write Celtic languages should be one of their prime considerations.

In the table below, each typeface is described according to a number of categories.

• Year indicates the earliest and latest known use of the type ("latest known use" is really more relevant for the metal types than it is for digital typefaces).
• Name indicates the generally-accepted name of the typeface; where a face has been known by other names, these are given in parentheses. Typefaces whose names are given in italics are typefaces which I have never myself seen.
• Designer gives the name of the person who cut (or digitally designed) the typeface; the name of the person who provided a manuscript model or other inspiration is given in parentheses, as is the italicized name of a typeface which was used as the basis for the design.
• Place indicates the city or country in which a typeface was prepared.
• Digitized gives the name of a revived typeface and the year it was digitized, or indicates the year a purely digital typeface was designed.
• Code indicates the level of support for Celtic languages which is provided.
• • M = Minimum Gaelic character set (all traditional 18 Irish letters but no others), digits, punctuation.
  • D = Defective, does not have the accented vowels or dotted consonants required for Irish Gaelic.
  • S = Standard: identical to or a superset of ISO/IEC 8859-14 (Latin 8). The scope of that standard shows that it supports at least the following languages: Albanian, Basque, Breton, Catalan, Cornish, Danish, Dutch, English, French (with restrictions), Frisian, Galician, German, Greenlandic, Irish Gaelic (old and new orthographies), Italian, Latin, Luxemburgish, Manx Gaelic, Norwegian, Portuguese, Rhaeto-Romanic, Scottish Gaelic, Spanish, Swedish, and Welsh.
  • j = has j k q v w x y z.
  • e = has the euro sign.
  • & = has both the Tironian et sign and the ampersand.
  • + = has traditional Irish manuscript ligatures.

• Classification indicates the assigned typology. It is not always easy to classify Gaelic typefaces. Often a mix of terminology is required. I welcome criticism and elaboration of the classifications below.

• First order classification

  • Gaelic fonts have Insular letterforms: delta-form d; s-form g; dotless i; round t with no ascender above the crossbar.
  • Pseudo-Gaelic fonts may be identical to Gaelic ones in other respects, but are inauthentic in that they have Carolingian letterforms: a bowled g and/or either a round t with its ascender piercing the crossbar or a rectilinear T. May have a tall f or a two-stroke vertical b and d. May have a dotted i (this is a cardinal sin).
  • Roman fonts use unmodified Roman forms, but have dots above and acute accents required for Irish Gaelic. If dotted i is used, its dot and the dot of lenition must be harmonized with regard to height.
  • Hybrid fonts use both Roman letterforms and Gaelic letterforms. The earliest faces mix special Gaelic glyphs with existing Roman ones. A few faces give Roman capital letters with Gaelic small letters; even if the strokes of the capital letters are "gaelicized", if they are not strictly speaking Gaelic, Hybrid is used to classify the face.

  Second order classification

  • Manuscript fonts are generally spiky or angular; often irregular.
  • Transitional fonts are designs intermediate between faces that reproduce calligraphic manuscript hands and rectified, regularized typographical faces.
  • Modern fonts are regularized typographically.

  Third order classification

  • Angular fonts have the inverted-v type a, though sometimes this contrasts with round-humped h, m, n.
  • Round fonts have the script type a.
  • Uncial fonts give a strong suggestion of pen-based strokes. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between Manuscript and Uncial but the latter is a "pre-Gaelic" class (there are non-Insular Uncials)
  • Monowidth fonts are typewriter typefaces.
  • Sans-serif fonts have no serifs.
  • Grotesque fonts have no serifs.

  References:

  • Lynam, E. W. 1969 (1924). The Irish character in print, 1571-1923. Introduction by Alf MacLochlainn. New York: Barnes & Noble.
  • McGuinne, Dermot. 1992. Irish type design: a history of printing types in the Irish character. Blackrock: Irish Academic Press. ISBN 0-7165-2463-5

  Bliain Year	Ainm Name	Dearthóir Designer	Áit Place	Digitithe Digitized	Cód Code	Aicmiú Classification
  1567-1574	Anglo-Saxon	John Day (Matthew Parker)	England		Dj	Hybrid Modern
  1571-1658	Queen Elizabeth	John Kearney (Roman glyphs Pierre Haultin)	Dublin?	Cois Life draft	Mj+	Hybrid Modern
  1611-1728	Louvain A	Thomas Strong? (Bonaventure O'Hussey)	Louvain	Lóbháin draft	M+	Gaelic Manuscript
  1641-1662	Louvain B	unknown (Anthony Haly)	Louvain		M+	Gaelic Manuscript
  c. 1667	Saxon	De Walpergus? (Franciscus Junius)	England?	Junius 1996	D	Hybrid
  1675-1937	Rome	John the Teuton?	Rome		M+	Gaelic Manuscript Angular
  1680-1887	Moxon	Joseph Moxon	London		M+	Gaelic Manuscript Angular
  1732-1751	Paris	Loyson foundry (Conor O'Begly)	Paris	Páras draft	M+	Gaelic Manuscript Angular
  1787-1815	Parker (Brooke, Bonham)	Stephen Parker (Muiris O'Gorman)	Dublin		M	Gaelic Manuscript Angular
  1799-1887	Fry/Moxon (Graisberry)	Edmund Fry	London		M+	Gaelic Manuscript Angular
  1804-1805	Marcel	J. J. Marcel (partly recut Rome; Paris influence)	Paris		M+ ??	Gaelic Manuscript Angular
  1808-1821	Barlow	John Barlow	Dublin		M+	Hybrid Early Transitional
  1808-1845	Neilson	William Neilson	Dublin		D	Roman
  1815-1844	Christie	James Christie	Dublin		M+	Gaelic Early Transitional Angular
  1815-1895	Early Figgins (Hardiman)	Vincent Figgins (Valancey 1773)	London		M+	Gaelic Late Transitional Angular
  1818-1931	Watts	Richard Watts	London	Acaill 1997, Seanchló 1998	M+	Gaelic Early Transitional Angular
  1819-1869	Fry A (Gothic capitals)	Edmund Fry	Cambridge?		M+	Gaelic Transitional Angular
  1835-1961	Petrie A (Irish Archaeological Society 1, 3)	George Petrie	Dublin		M	Gaelic Uncial Round
  1836-1869	Fry B (Gaelic capitals)	Edmund Fry	Cambridge?		M+	Transitional
  1836-1927	Legrand	Marcellin Legrand (Francisque Michel)	Paris		M	Hybrid
  1842	Furlong	John Mullany	Dublin		M+	Roman Aspirated
  1845-1910	Vienna A (Altirisch A, Altkeltisch)	Alois Auer? (Rome)	Vienna		M+	Manuscript
  1845-1910	Vienna B (Altirisch B, Neukeltisch)	Alois Auer? (Petrie A)	Vienna		M+	Gaelic Uncial Round
  1850-1957	Petrie B (Irish Archaeological Society 2)	George Petrie	Dublin		Mj	Gaelic Uncial Round
  1856-1887	Petrie C (Thom)	Alexander Thom (George Petrie)	Dublin		M	Gaelic Modern Round
  1857-1900	Newman (Keating Society)	George Petrie	Dublin	Gaeilge 1991, Bunchló 1996	M	Gaelic Modern Angular
  1861-	Ballhorn (Leipzig)	F. Ballhorn (Watts)	Leipzig		M	Gaelic Early Transitional Angular
  1874-1902	Reed	Charles Reed (Newman)	Dublin		M	Modern Angular
  1877	Bourke (Romano-Keltic)	Ulick J. Bourke (or James Marr?)	London		M	Roman
  1881-1900	Irish Echo	unknown (Watts)	Boston		M	Gaelic Early Transitional Angular
  1891	Hogan	A. Thom (Edmund Hogan)	Dublin		Mj	Roman
  1897-1904	Later Figgins	Vincent Figgins? (Pádruig Ó Briain; Newman)	London		M	Gaelic Modern Angular
  1904-	Later Figgins Bold (Stevens Celtic)	R. H. Stevens	London		M	Gaelic Modern Angular
  c. 1905	Underwood	unknown	New York?	Darmhagh Underwood 1999, Darmhagh draft	Mj	Gaelic Modern Angular Monowidth
  1906-1922	Monotype Series 24 A	unknown (recast Michael O'Rahilly 1913; Later Figgins)	?	Duibhlinn 1993	M	Gaelic Modern Angular
  c. 1906?	Monotype Series 85	unknown (Later Figgins bold)	?		M	Gaelic Modern Angular
  c. 1910?	Hammond	unknown	?		Mj	Modern Angular Monowidth
  c. 1910?	Royal	unknown	Hartford?	Doire 1993, Doire Royal 1999	Mj	Gaelic Modern Angular Monowidth
  1913	Intertype	unknown (Later Figgins)	?		M	Modern Angular
  1913	Intertype Bold	unknown (Later Figgins)	?		M	Gaelic Modern Angular
  1913	Monotype Series 117	Cahill's foundry (Michael O'Rahilly), Monotype Series 81	?	Cluain draft?	Mj	Gaelic Modern Grotesque
  1915?	O'Rahilly Display	Michael O'Rahilly	?		Mj	led to Monotype Series 117, never cut
  1916	American Type Founders (ATF)	unknown (Later Figgins)	New Jersey		M	Gaelic Modern Angular
  1916	Linotype	unknown (Later Figgins)	?		M	Gaelic Modern Angular
  1921-1953?	Hammerschrift (Hammer Unziale)	A. Schuricht (Victor Hammer)	Offenbach		Dj	Modern Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  1925	(Ó Searcaigh)	unknown (Séamus Ó Searcaigh? Anglo-Saxon face?)	Germany		M	Modern Round
  1932? 1945?	American Uncial	Victor Hammer?	Offenbach	Gaeilge 2 1993	Dj	Modern Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  1932	Baoithín	Colm Ó Lochlainn, Victor Hammer (Hammerschrift)	Offenbach	Loch Garman 1999	Mj	Modern Gaelic Uncial
  1933-1988	Colum Cille (Monotype Series 121)	Colm Ó Lochlainn, Karl Uhlemann	Dublin	c. 1989	Mj&	Modern Round
  1933	Pindar	Victor Hammer	Offenbach		Dj	Modern Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  1938	Libra Uncial	Sjoerd Hendrik de Roos	Amsterdam		Dj	Modern Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  1945-1948	Czech Uncial	Oldrich Menhart	Czechoslovakia		Dj	Modern Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  c. 1950	Tower (Sears?)	unknown	?	Teamhair 1997, Teamhair Tower 1999	Mj	Gaelic Modern Round Monowidth
  1953	Biggs	Michael Biggs	Dublin	Doolish draft	D	Modern Gaelic Uncial
  1953	Solemnis	Günther Gerhard Lange	Berlin		Dj	Modern Pseudo-Gaelic Hybrid Uncial
  1964	Nua-Rómhánach	Liam Miller (William Britton)	?		Mj??	Hybrid
  1988	Kells	Casady & Greene foundry	USA	1988	Dj	Modern Round
  1988	Meath	Casady & Greene foundry	USA	1988	Dj	Modern Round
  1989	Gaillimh	Michael Everson	Portland	1989 bitmap	Mj	Gaelic Modern Angular
  1991	Gaeilge	Christopher Young (Newman)	Pittsburgh	1991	Mj	Gaelic Angular
  1993	Ceanannas	Michael Everson (George Bain)	Dublin	1993	Se&	Gaelic Modern Gaelic Uncial
  1993	Doire	Michael Everson (Royal)	Dublin	1993	Se&	Gaelic Modern Angular Monowidth
  1993	Duibhlinn	Michael Everson (Monotype Series 24)	Dublin	1993	Se&	Gaelic Modern Angular
  1993	Durrow	David F. Nalle	Austin	1993	Dj	Modern Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  1993	Gaeilge 2	Pádraig McCarthy (American Uncial)	Dublin	1993	?	Gaelic Modern Uncial
  1993	Tuamach	Colum Twomey		1993	S	Gaelic Modern Angular
  1994	Bainín	Michael White	Trim	1994	?	Gaelic Modern Uncial
  1994	Glanchló	Vincent Morley (Petrie A, Colum Cille)	Dublin	1994	Mje&	Modern Round
  1995	Beowulf-1	Peter Baker (Beowulf MS scribe 1)	Virginia	1996	Dj	Pseudo-Gaelic Manuscript
  1995	Éirinn	Norbert Reiners (Petrie A)	Aachen	1995	Mj+	Modern Round
  1995	Everson Mono Gaelic	Michael Everson	Dublin	1995	Se&	Hybrid Sans Serif Monowidth
  c. 1995	Kells Round	P22 foundry (Book of Kells?)	Buffalo	c. 1995	Dj??	Manuscript
  c. 1995	Kells Square (Lindisfarne MS)	P22 foundry	Buffalo	c. 1995	Dj??	Manuscript
  1995	Ossian	Norbert Reiners	Aachen		1995	Modern Round
  1996	Bunchló	Vincent Morley (Newman)	Dublin	1996	Mje&	Modern Angular
  1996	Junius	Peter Baker (Saxon)	Virginia	1996	Dj	Modern Hybrid
  1996	Úrchló	Vincent Morley	Dublin	1996	Mje&	Modern Hybrid Sans Serif
  1997	Acaill	Michael Everson (Watts)	Dublin	1997	Se&+	Gaelic Early Transitional Angular
  1997	Corcaigh	Michael Everson (Conradh na Gaeilge)	Dublin	1997	Se&	Gaelic Modern Angular
  1997	Fíorchló	Vincent Morley (Colum Cille)	Dublin	1997	Mje&	Gaelic Hybrid Uncial
  1997	Oireachtas	Con Kennedy	Dublin	1997	Dj	Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  1997	Stonecross	David F. Nalle	Austin	1997	Dj	Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  1997	Teamhair	Michael Everson (Tower)	Dublin	1997	Se&	Gaelic Modern Round Monowidth
  1997	Uachtarán	Con Kennedy	Dublin	1997	Dj	Modern Round
  1998	Aon Cari	Cari Buziak (Lindisfarne MS)	Calgary	1998	Dj	Modern Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  1998	Cianán	Feòrag NicBhrìde (Seán Ó Cianáin)	Edinburgh	1998	Se&	Modern Round
  1998	Seanchló	Vincent Morley (Watts)	Dublin	1998	Mje&	Modern Transitional
  1998	Slaine	James Shields	Dublin	1998	Dj	Modern Angular
  1998	Vespasian	Feòrag NicBhrìde	Edinburgh	1998	Dj	Modern Round
  1999	Darmhagh Underwood	Michael Everson (Underwood)	Dublin	1999	Se&	Gaelic Modern Angular Monowidth
  1999	Doire Royal	Michael Everson (Royal)	Dublin	1999	Se&	Gaelic Modern Angular Monowidth
  1999	Léarchló	Vincent Morley (Libra)	Dublin	1999	Mje&	Modern Uncial
  1999	Loch Garman	Michael Everson (Baoithín)	Dublin	1999	Se&	Gaelic Modern Uncial
  1999	Morgow	David F. Nalle	Austin	1999	Dj	Modern Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  1999	Teamhair Tower	Michael Everson (Tower)	Dublin	1999	Se&	Gaelic Modern Round Monowidth
  draft	Cluain	Michael Everson	Dublin	draft	Se&	Gaelic Modern Grotesque
  draft	Cois Life	Michael Everson (Queen Elizabeth)	Dublin	draft	Se&+	Hybrid
  draft	Darmhagh	Michael Everson (Underwood)	Dublin	draft	Se&	Gaelic Modern Angular Monowidth
  draft	Doolish	Michael Everson (Biggs)	Dublin	draft	Se&	Gaelic Modern Round
  draft	Lóbháin	Michael Everson (Louvain)	Dublin	draft	Se&+	Gaelic Manuscript
  draft	Páras	Michael Everson (Paris)	Dublin	draft	Se&+	Gaelic Manuscript
  199?	Alba Text	David F. Nalle	Austin		?	Angular Hybrid Uncial
  199?	Dahaut	David F. Nalle	Austin		?	Uncial
  199?	Glendower	David F. Nalle	Austin		?	Uncial
  199?	Lindisfarne	David F. Nalle	Austin		?	Manuscript
  199?	Sualtim	David F. Nalle	Austin		?	Pseudo-Gaelic Uncial
  199?	Teyrnon	David F. Nalle	Austin		?	Pseudo-Gaelic Hybrid Uncial

  ---

  Pronunciation of Gaelic typeface names

  Acaill	['akəlʲ]
  Aon Cari	['i:n 'kari]
  Bainín	['banʲi:nʲ]
  Bunchló	['bunxlo:]
  Baoithín	['bi:hʲi:n]
  Ceanannas	['kʲanənəs]
  Cianán	['kʲiəna:n]
  Cluain	[kluənʲ]
  Cois Life	[kosʲ 'lʲifʲə]
  Colum Cille	['koləm kʲilʲə]
  Corcaigh	['korki:]
  Darmhagh	['daru:]
  Doire	['dorʲə]
  Duibhlinn	['difʲlʲinʲ]
  Éirinn	['e:rʲinʲ]
  Fíorchló	['fʲi:rxlo:]
  Gaeilge	['ge:lʲgʲə]
  Gaillimh	['galʲəvʲ]
  Glanchló	['glanxlo:]
  Lóbháin	['lo:va:nʲ]
  Loch Garman	[lox 'garəmən]
  Nua-Romhánach	[nuə ro'va:nəx]
  Oireachtas	['orʲəxtəs]
  Ó Searcaigh	[o: 'sʲarki:]
  Páras	['pa:rəs
  Seanchló	['sʲanxlo:]
  Sláine	['sla:nʲə]
  Teamhair	[tʲaurʲ]
  Tuamach	['tuəməx]
  Uachtarán	['uəxtəra:n]
  Úrchló	['u:rxlo:]