An Béal Bocht. No an Milleanach broch-sgeal ar an droch-shaoghal. Dublin: An Press Naisiunta, 1941. First Edition, Second Issue (with the printer’s name on rear endpaper). Pp, 111. Pictorial card covers by Sean O’Sullivan. Minor shelf-wear, but overall a fine bright copy of this fragile publication.

Only about 300 copies of the first edition were issued. When the book was an unexpected hit, the publishers quickly had the remaining printed sheets bound up in a similar cover with the addition of the printers name on the rear blank.

‘An Beal Bocht’ is the only novel of Flann O’Brien’s written in Irish using the pen name Myles na gCopaleen. The novel was translated into English and published in 1973 as ‘The Poor Mouth’ and has appeared in many other languages since.