Originally published 1764 | ||
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Similar Francis Moore books, Other books | ||
Old Moore's Almanac is an almanac which has been published for nearly two and a half centuries. Its founder, Theophilus Moore, ran a classical academy at Milltown which was then a village near Dublin (since that time, it has been incorporated into the city). A teacher of Irish, English, Greek and Latin, he became known as a clever mathematician and a veritable wizard of astrology, gaining the nickname 'The Irish Merlin'. He published his Old Moore's Almanac for the first time in 1764, and received such support that the other Irish almanacs gradually dwindled away. Theophilus Moore is now buried in the Drumcondra Churchyard, in Dublin, but the tradition of Old Moore's Almanac continues unbroken to this day.
The Old Moore's Almanac is not to be confused with Old Moore's Almanack (with a "k"), an English publication dating from 1697.
The Old Moore's Almanac is published annually in November. The current owners of the Old Moore's Almanac possess back issues dating from 1914 onwards. Issues before this time are held in the National Library of Ireland. For a period of time, the Old Moore's Almanac went by the name of Nugents Old Moore's Almanac. The magazine has traditionally been a resource for the agricultural community in rural Ireland. However, since its re-launch in 2010, the magazine is now full colour and now has full editorial features. Topics include the revival of lost Irish traditions, technology, urban farming, country sporting pursuits, unusual breeds of animals, recipes, hints and tips, the paranormal, traditional medicine, horoscopes, and an analysis of antique issues of the Almanac (pre-1950). The circulation of the hard copy is around 47,000, with most sales achieved in Athlone, Dublin, Galway and Cork. The predictions are the most popular section of the Almanac. The in-house psychic remains anonymous, often quoting that he "likes to stay under the radar" and away from public life.
The magazine has increased its circulation year-on-year since 2010, which is unusual as printed magazines across the board have seen their circulations fall as more people turn to online reading material.
The current editor is Nicole Buckler, who has held this position since 2010.
Predictions
The almanac also includes monthly predictions in a whimsical style, for Ireland and the world. The weather predictions always receive a lot of attention in Ireland, where the weather is a highly prized conversation subject. For example, the 2013 predictions include: