Salmon Publishing, Ltd. records

The Archives of Salmon Publishing covers the activity of Salmon Publishing Ltd. Of Clare, Ireland, from its inception in 1982 through 1997. Founded and directed by the American-Irish poet, Jessie Lendennie, Salmon Publishing is noted particularly for its promotion of the work of new women poets. Salmon Publishing began in 1982 with The Salmon, a literary quarterly dedicated to providing a forum for new poets outside of Dublin. In 1984, Salmon began to publish books by these same poets. When The Salmon ceased publication in 1992, the book publishing operation continued, and it is with book publishing that the bulk of the material in the Salmon Archives is concerned. The collection is divided into a series of Publishing Files and a series of Administrative Files.

The Publishing Series consists of files related to the publication of individual books. These files vary greatly in completeness. Typical contents include correspondence between author and publisher, publicity materials related to the promotion of the book, and reviews from Irish and other newspapers and journals. Many files also include manuscripts and copies of corrected proofs. At their most complete these files document the entire publication history of particular works from the initial contacts between author and publisher through negotiations over contract terms and related matters, the editing and revision of texts leading to publication, and the promotion and initial reception of the work.

Noteworthy among the Publication files are those related to the Irish publication of Adrienne Rich’s Selected Poems by Salmon. These files include an extensive correspondence between Rich and Salmon publisher, Jessie Lendennie, as well as correspondence between Salmon and W.W. Norton, Rich’s American and U.K. publishers, regarding the terms of publication. Rich’s corrected proofs are also included in these files. Joan McBreen’s The White Page/An Bhileog Bhán (1999) is a major anthology of Irish women poets. Files in the collection include McBreen’s master’s thesis, which became the basis for the book, correspondence with many of the poets included in the anthology, and corrected proofs. The Salmon Archives includes publication files for books by Irish poets including Rita Ann Higgins, Theo Dorgan, Moya Cannon, Mary O'Donnell, Eamonn Wall, Mary O’Malley, Eva Bourke, Janice Fitzpatrick-Simmons, and Gerard Donovan. The American poets Marvin Bell and Richard Tillinghast are among the non-Irish poets represented in the Salmon Archive. The collection includes files related to Lendennie’s books The Salmon Guide to Poetry Publishing in Ireland and The Salmon Guide to Creative Writing in Ireland. Files in the Publication series are arranged by author name and title of the individual book.

The Administrative Series includes general correspondence and correspondence with Irish funding agencies (the Arts Council, the Galway Corporation) and trade and professional organizations (CLE, Poolbeg, Poetry Ireland). Other files relate to Auburn House, an imprint of Salmon Publishing specializing in “new age” books on health and spirituality, and to The Salmon, the literary quarterly published by Salmon from 1982-1992. Additional files contain information on literary competitions and festivals, and on educational programs and trade fairs, mostly in Ireland. Files of poets’ photographs and book covers complete the Administrative Series.