Hands-On Letterpress Workshop with Anthony Burrill at National Print Museum Dublin

On a grey Dublin morning, the National Print Museum’s front doors open into a workshop space that smells of oil and ink. Letterpress Workshop with Anthony Burrill is a six‑hour, hands‑on printing intensive at the National Print Museum in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland, where participants work with the museum’s wood type collection and working presses to produce a single‑colour poster. Facilitated by Anthony Burrill and guided through the press by Mary Plunkett, the session pairs artist-led instruction with technical know‑how from museum staff.

The day begins with a short orientation to type anatomy—sorts, leads, spacing—and a demonstration on composing a chase, locking type with quoins, and inking a bed‑type press. Participants set their own layout using vintage wood type, place it in the press, and pull several impressions to create a small edition. All materials and lunch are included in the €150 price, and the ground‑floor workshop is fully accessible; wheelchair entry is via the Café.

What makes this workshop stand out is the tactile intimacy of letterpress: the industry’s mechanical rhythm, the subtle impression in cotton paper, and the chance to learn on machines that moved the commercial print of an earlier century. The museum’s wood type collection—racks of carved letters and ornamental borders—offers design possibilities you won’t find in digital classrooms. Beyond technique, the workshop is a living lesson in Dublin’s craft history; the museum preserves presses and equipment that trace the city’s printing and publishing legacy.

Practical notes: the session runs six hours and suits beginners—no prior experience required—though it demands patience and attention to detail. Bring comfortable footwear and a notebook; protective aprons and materials are provided. Expect tactile ink smells and the clack of metal on metal; if you have limited mobility, the ground‑floor setting and accessible facilities make participation straightforward.

For visiting travelers, the museum location in Dublin makes this an easy cultural stop between city sightseeing and a coffee by the River Liffey. The finished print is a portable souvenir and a practical skill you can return to at home. Whether you’re a graphic designer seeking analog techniques or a traveler curious about craft, the Letterpress Workshop with Anthony Burrill delivers a hands‑on, durable experience—a small, noisy, ink‑stained retreat into the mechanics of making.

Participants often leave with renewed respect for the physical craft and a poster that bears the soft emboss of the press; prints usually need a day or two to fully cure. The Museum Shop sells paper and sample type so you can continue projects when you return home. This primer makes the day both a standalone creative experience and a practical starting point for designers, makers, and curious travelers who want to bring an analog process back into practice.