The Roscommon Telephone Directory

Roscommon Collectibles.
Occasional Series. Booklet No. 2
The Telephone Directory as an historic document.

A brief history of the Telephone Directory and a catalogue of the Directories that were in use in the Co. Roscommon area.
Liam Byrne
Brief Background. Public, Business and Local telephone directories are a useful source for local and family history, for social history & demographics and for the history of technology in the region. Because they are usually discarded when a new issue is received, telephone directories are one of the rarest forms of ephemera. Telephone directories have been around for well over 100 years. The first directory was produced in New Haven, Connecticut, USA in 1878 and the first London directory was produced in 1880. The earliest Irish Telephone Directory dates from about 1905 and 1907. The Irish classified directory - the Golden Pages, was first produced in 1968. It went regional in 1984/85, later became part of the regional public directory (07/09 for the West of Ireland) and in 2001 was once again issued as a stand alone, regional 07/09 business directory. Trade directories in Roscommon have a long pedigree. The first Roscommon business directory dates from the 1920s. Local directories are a more modern phenomenon, often produced by local schools as part of Transition Year activities. In this database a Trade Directory contains all or most of the business numbers in an area (including unsolicited numbers) and a Trade Guide contains only advertised (i.e. solicited) contact numbers. A Local Directory is one produced locally, usually for a town or parish. A Public Directory is one produced for the State telephone company (Dept. of Posts & Telegraphs / An Post / Telecom ireann / Eircom), initially for use by switchboard operators and later for general release. Annual directories for public issue have been produced by Golden Pages Ltd. since 1968. Public Directories are listed in a separate listing after the Trade and Local Directories.
The information in this booklet was originally posted online at www.roscommonhistory.ie.
A Brief History of the Telephone Directory.

Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for his telephone in 1876. He demonstrated it to visitors at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition the same year. In early 1878 he installed the first telephone exchange in New Haven, Connecticut. The first telephone directory - a single 14 x 21 cm. sheet - was issued in New Haven on 21st. February that year. Closer to the end of the same year a telephone book was issued containing numerous pages and advertisements. This was the first telephone directory with more than one sheet of paper. San Francisco also issued a directory during 1878. 1878. Single sheet telephone subscribers list. The first telephone directory. Alexander Graham Bell's patent on the telephone gave Bell Telephone a monopoly from 1876 to 1893. During that period the company opened exchanges in most of the largest cities of the United States. It also organized a number of regional operating companies. In 1899 American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) became the parent company. 1900. Telephone directory for Alaska Telephone Co. Telephone numbers were introduced in Lowell, Massachusetts in late 1879. Party lines were popular, because of their lower cost, in the first half of the 20th century. Telephones on a party line were electrically connected, so that they would ring simultaneously, and transmit the same sounds. A specific pattern of rings was used to identify each phone on the same party line. The telephone book listing usually gave a phone number, a hyphen, and a code to identify the pattern of rings. The number of digits in a phone number was variable, since the numbers were only used as identifiers. In rural areas, they might range from one to three digits. In larger cities, a telephone number would consist of an exchange name and a five-digit number. 1906. Telephone directory from the time of the San Francisco earthquake. Individual city directories predate the telephone by many years. Obviously, the early city directories had no telephone numbers. Most city directories are hardbound. Reuben H. Donnelley published a Chicago telephone directory in 1886, for the Chicago Telephone Company; this is generally acknowledged as
the first of what today we call The Yellow Pages. Donnelley expanded to other large cities in 1906. The first telephone directory featuring classified business advertising on actual yellow paper was issued by the Michigan State Telephone Co. in 1906, for Detroit. 1908 Zenith Telephone Co. directory. In many parts of the country, especially the suburbs of large cities, there are privately published telephone directories, supported by advertising, usually covering a smaller area than the official telephone book. These "proprietary" phone books go back well before World War II. In the United States, the official telephone book will usually clearly identify the telephone company that published it. Sometimes it is hard to tell which is the official telephone book and which is the proprietary one for any given city. 1914. Pittsburgh telephone directory. To prepare the way for nationwide dialling, in 1947 AT&T and Bell Laboratories developed the North American Numbering Plan, creating three-digit area codes that would divide all of North America. Within each area code, every seven-digit phone number would be unique. When long-distance dialling was first implemented, it could only be used by operators placing calls for customers. Customer dialling was phased in as each central office invested in the necessary equipment. Generally, area codes were first announced in telephone books in the late 1950s. 1924. Milwaukee telephone directory. All-number calling was introduced in 1961. Some listings immediately changed to seven digits, although exchange names continued to appear alongside them until late in the decade. Telephone directories have been in use in England since the end of the nineteenth century. The telephone service was introduced in 1879 and the first London directory was produced in 1880. The National Telephone Company issued its first known directory on January 15th. which contained details of over 250 subscribers connected to three London exchanges. Post Office Telecommunications and numerous private companies soon followed. In 1896 the first phonebook for the whole country was published in a single volume. It containing 1350 pages and 81,000
entries. City and county directories have been in continuous production ever since. During the war directories were pulped because of the shortage of paper. Directories from 1884 to 1984 have been scanned and are available on genealogical websites. The BT Archive contains an almost complete collection of directories for the UK (and Ireland, up to 1921). 1963 Sheffield telephone directory. The first telephone used in Ireland was in 1876, the same year that Bell invented the device. The first telephone directory may be the one produced by The National Telephone Company dated 1904 05. Another Irish directory dates from 1907, but is incomplete. Up until the 1960's directories were mainly produced for the local Department of Posts & Telegraphs switchboard. These are usually plain typed lists. Every exchange in the country would have had such a list, but surviving examples are rare. 1921 Telephone Directory, Dublin & Cork Districts. The Irish classified directory - the Yellow Pages, was first produced in 1968. It went regional in 1984/85, later became part of the regional public directory and in 2001 was once again issued as a stand alone, regional business directory. 1961 Irish telephone directory. Today telephone directories are used for many purposes, other than those intended. Old telephone directories are scanned and reissued on compact disk, for family history and genealogical research. They can also be used for demographic research, local history, the history of technology and various other purposes. Two examples of telephone directories as genealogical tools, one from New Zealand and one from England are shown below. Irish telephone directories, though not as old as those from other countries, can be used for much the same purpose.
Most of these images are from recent sales of telephone directories on eBay. The sale of telephone directories is big business, especially in the US, although there is a growing interest in UK directories which has become evident in the recent past. Irish directories rarely feature. The information on US directories above is based on
a detailed history by Gwillim Law which can be accessed at http://www.oldtelephonebooks.com. The following catalogue of local telephone directories is incomplete but indicates the extent of my collection as of September 2012. Additions always welcome.
Catalogue of Public, Private, Trade & Local Telephone Directories for the Roscommon Area.
Part 1: Trade (Business) & Local Directories.

Category. Private Directory. Year Title Remarks Produced by Roscommon Regional Youth Services. 40 page directory of Roscommon Sporting bodies. Produced by Ballymoe Development Group. November 2008. 090 & 094 area code listings. Also mobile numbers for local business. Free. 1st edition. Local Directories of Dundalk. 64 pp. 07 & 09 area. Image
1994
Co. Roscommon Sports & Recreation Directory.
Local Directory.
2008
Ballymoe / Ballintubber Local Telephone Directory.
Trade Directory.
2004
The Roscommon Trade Directory 2004.
Trade Directory.
2004
Roscommon Business Directory 2004.
Compact disc. E. Business Digital Directories Ltd. ROS2004
Trade Directory.
No date
Enterprising Roscommon. A Directory of Micro Businesses in County Roscommon.
Roscommon Partnership Company. 14 pp. 07, 09 & mobile numbers.
Trade Directory.
2007
Roscommon & District Guide. 3rd edition.
190 pp. Lough Ree Publishing Co. Ltd., Athlone. 090 66**** numbers only.
Category.
Year
Title
Remarks 192 pp. Lough Ree Publishing Co. Ltd., Athlone. 090 66**** numbers only.
Image
Trade Directory.
2003
Roscommon & District Guide. 2nd edition.
Trade Directory.
2001
Roscommon & District Guide. 1st edition.
168 pp. Lough Ree Publishing Co. Ltd., Athlone. 0903 area only.
Local Directory.
No date.
Elphin Local Directory.
Elphin Community College project. 31 pp. 071 9630/35 area only.
Trade Guide.
2007/08
The Handy Business & Services Directory 2007 / 2008 (The Select Guide)
Free. 32 pp. Colour advertising only. Midland counties. A JRI Publication.
Trade Guide.
2007 (July / August)
Roscommon Guide to Local Services.
Free. 11 pp. Colour advertising only. Local Business Promotions, Ballyhaunus.
Local Directory.
2006/07
Kilbride Phone Directory 2006/07.
40 pp. Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown TY Project. Kilbride area numbers.
Category.
Year
Title Roscommon Directory (Commercial & Historical) 1920.
Remarks ca. 100 pp. Hard Back. W.H. Cartan, Manager Messenger Printing Works, Roscommon. Ballyhaunus Rugby Club. 423 pp. Includes 0907 area in Roscommon.
Image
Trade Directory.
1920
Trade Directory.
No date.
0907 Your Directory 094.
Local Directory.
No date
Boyle Residential & Business Directory 1st edition.
na Bhn Tourism Co-Operative, Boyle. 79 pp. Stapled.
Local Directory.
2007
Boyle Residential & Business Directory 2nd edition.
na Bhn Tourism Co-Operative, Boyle. 86 pp. Stapled.
Local Directory.
2007
Boyle Residential & Business Directory 3rd edition.
na Bhn Tourism Co-Operative, Boyle. 87 pp. Spiral bound.
Local Directory.
2008
Boyle Residential & Business Directory 4th edition.
na Bhn Tourism Co-Operative, Boyle. 83 pp. Spiral bound.
Category.
Year
Title
Image
Trade Directory.
No date
Ballinasloe & District Guide. 2nd edition?
Trade Directory.
No date
Ballinasloe & District Guide. 1st edition.
Trade Directory
No date
Castlerea and District Business Directory.
Castlerea Community School Student publication. 0907 area.
Trade Directory
1999
Roscommon Business Directory.
Roscommon County Enterprise Board Ltd. 75 pp. Countywide.
Trade Directory.
1996
Athlone Traders Guide & Local Area Index 1996
248 pp. Desmond Egan Clef Promotions Ltd., Athlone.
Trade Directory.
1999
Athlone & District Guide.
288 pp. Lough Ree Publishing Co. Ltd., Athlone. 0902 numbers only.
Category.
Year
Title
Image
Trade Directory.
2003
Athlone & District Guide. New Edition.
Trade Directory.
2007
Athlone & District Guide. 3rd Edition.
Trade Directory.
2002
Athlone Traders Guide & Local Area Index.
288 pp. Desmond Egan International Designs Ire. 0902 area only.
Trade Directory.
2008/9
Athlone Business Guide & Local Area Index.
272 pp. Desmond Egan International Designs Ire.
Trade Directory.
No date.
Business & Shopping Guide for Sligo / Roscommon / Leitrim 11th edition.
Business & Shopping Guide Ltd. Navan. 224 pp.
Trade Directory.
No date.
Business & Shopping Guide for Sligo / Roscommon / Leitrim 12th edition.
Category.
Year
Title Business & Shopping Guide for Sligo / Roscommon / Leitrim 13th edition.
Remarks Business & Shopping Guide Ltd. Navan. 255 pp.
Image
Trade Directory.
No date.
Trade Directory.
No date.
The Red Book Business & Shopping Guide for Sligo / Roscommon / Leitrim 14th edition.
Trade Directory.
No date.
The Red Book Business & Shopping Guide for Sligo / Roscommon / Leitrim 16th edition.
Trade Directory.
No date.
The Red Book Business & Shopping Guide for Sligo / Roscommon / Leitrim 17th edition. "Spend Time in Boyle ..." Business Directory for Boyle Town. Shows images of business cards for local suppliers.
Trade Directory.
2010
Boyle Chamber of Commerce.
Local Directory.
2011
Elphin Phone Directory 2011.
Transition Year Mini-Company project.
Part 2: Public Telephone Directories issued by Dept. of P & T, An Post, Telecom ireann & Eircom.
Category. Year Title Eola Telefin na hireann - Irish Telephone Directory. Deireadh Fmhair - October 1961. Remarks National directory. 403 pages for Dublin City & County (01 area). 16 pages of Business (pink) pages. 298 pages of "Outside Dublin" numbers. 14 pages of "Late Entries". Cahill & Co. Ltd., Dublin for Dept. of Posts & Telegraphs. 235mm X 180 mm. National directory. 332 pages for Dublin City & County (01 area).19 pages of Business (pink) pages. 242 pages of "other than 01 area" numbers. 14 pages of "late entries". Cahill & Co. Ltd., Dublin for Dept. of Posts & Telegraphs. 290mm X 215mm. 288 pp. The Golden Pages business listing. Part 2 (outside Dublin (01) area). Compiled by ITT World Directories Ireland Ltd. 1016 pp. National Directory for all telephone numbers outside the greater Dublin (01) area. Image
Public Directory.
1961
Public Directory.
1966
Eola Telefin na hireann - Irish Telephone Directory. 1966.
Public Directory.
1972
Classified Telephone Directory Part 2. Eola Telefin na hireann - Irish Telephone Directory. Part 2 1982. Eola Telefin na hireann - Irish Telephone Directory. Part 2 1983. Classified Telephone Directory Golden Pages Part 2.
Public Directory.
1982
Public Directory.
1983
1119 pp. National Directory for all telephone numbers outside the greater Dublin (01) area. 574 pp. The Golden Pages business listing. Part 2 (outside Dublin (01) area). This was the last non-regional Golden Pages.
Public Directory.
1983/84
Category.
Year
Title Classified Telephone Directory Golden Pages New Regional Directory.
Remarks 176 pp. The Golden Pages business listing. The first Regional Directory for telephone numbers in the 07/09 area.
Image
Public Directory.
1984/85
Public Directory.
1985
Irish Telephone Directory - Part 2.
1288 pp. Public listing. Part 2. (all numbers outside Dublin (01) area).
Public Directory.
1990/91
Irish Telephone Directory. Including Golden Pages 07/09 area. Irish Telephone Directory. Including Golden Pages 07/09 area. Irish Telephone Directory. Including Golden Pages 07/09 area. Irish Telephone Directory. Including Golden Pages 07/09 area.
496 pp public & 256 pp business listing for 07/09 area. 29 pp of mobile phone (088) numbers.
Public Directory.
1991/92
418 pp public & 279 pp business listing for 07/09 area. (No mobile numbers).
Public Directory.
1992/93
441 pp public & 303 pp business listing for 07/09 area.
Public Directory.
1993/94
Category.
Year
Title Irish Telephone Directory. Including Golden Pages 07/09 area. Irish Telephone Directory. Including Golden Pages 07/09 area. Irish Telephone Directory. Including Golden Pages 07/09 area.
Remarks
Image
Public Directory.
1994/95
Public Directory.
1995/96
Public Directory.
1996/97
Public Directory.
1997/98
Eola Telefin na hireann.
Public Directory.
1998/99
Eola Telefin na hireann.
628 pp public & 409 pp business listing for 07/09 area
Public Directory.
1999 2000
Phone Book.
649 pp public & 467 business listing for 07/09 area.
Category.
Year
Title
Remarks
Image
Public Directory.
2000 - 2001
Phone Book.
700 pp public listing for 07/09 area.
Public Directory.
2000 2001
Golden Pages.
572 pp business listing for 07/09 area.
Public Directory.
2002
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2002
Golden Pages.
Public Directory.
2003
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2003
Golden Pages.
Category.
Year
Title
Remarks
Image
Public Directory.
2004
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2004
Golden Pages.
Public Directory.
2005
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2005
Golden Pages.
Public Directory.
2006
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2006
Golden Pages.
Category.
Year
Title
Remarks
Image
Public Directory.
2007
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2007
Golden Pages.
Public Directory.
2007 / 2008
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2007 / 2008
Golden Pages.
Public Directory.
2008 / 2009
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2008 / 2009
Golden Pages.
496 pp business listing for 07/09 area. West / North West.
Category.
Year
Title
Remarks
Image
Public Directory.
2009 / 2010
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2009 / 2010
Golden Pages.
Public Directory.
2010 / 2011
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2010 / 2011
Golden Pages.
Public Directory.
2011 / 2012
Phone Book.
Public Directory.
2011 / 2012
Golden Pages.
End.
WANTS LIST. I am trying to put together a collection of telephone directories for the Roscommon area. I need the following editions to complete the set. If you have any old telephone directories that you no longer need please contact me. Thank you. I need the following Public Telephone Directories: All pre 1960, including Roscommon local exchange, typed or handwritten. 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1967. 1968 and Golden pages. 1969 and Golden pages. Part 2 Public Directory: (Numbers outside greater Dublin area) for; 1970 and Golden pages. 1971 and Golden pages. 1972 only. 1973 and Golden pages. 1974 and Golden pages. 1975 and Golden pages. 1976 and Golden pages. 1977 and Golden pages. 1978 and Golden pages. 1979 and Golden pages. Total: 10 and 9 1980 and Golden pages. 1981 and Golden pages. (1982) Golden pages only. 1984 only (1985) Golden pages only. Regional 07/09 Area for: 1986 (& Golden Pages?) 1987 (& Golden Pages?) 1988 (& Golden Pages?) 1989/90 (& Golden Pages?) Total: 7 and 4 (+ 4?) Total: (1) Total: 1 and 1 1994/95 (better quality copy required) 2001 and Golden pages.
Compiled, edited and published as an eBook by Liam Byrne September 2012.
First Edition.

The Roscommon Telephone Directory

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Roscommon Collectibles.

Occasional Series. Booklet No. 2

The Telephone Directory as an historic document.

The information in this booklet was originally posted online at www.roscommonhistory.ie.

A Brief History of the Telephone Directory.

Part 1: Trade (Business) & Local Directories.

Co. Roscommon Sports & Recreation Directory.

Ballymoe / Ballintubber Local Telephone Directory.

The Roscommon Trade Directory 2004.

Roscommon Business Directory 2004.

Compact disc. E. Business Digital Directories Ltd. ROS2004

Enterprising Roscommon. A Directory of Micro Businesses in County Roscommon.

Roscommon Partnership Company. 14 pp. 07, 09 & mobile numbers.

Roscommon & District Guide. 3rd edition.

Roscommon & District Guide. 2nd edition.

Roscommon & District Guide. 1st edition.

Elphin Local Directory.

Elphin Community College project. 31 pp. 071 9630/35 area only.

Free. 32 pp. Colour advertising only. Midland counties. A JRI Publication.

2007 (July / August)

Roscommon Guide to Local Services.

Free. 11 pp. Colour advertising only. Local Business Promotions, Ballyhaunus.

Kilbride Phone Directory 2006/07.

40 pp. Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown TY Project. Kilbride area numbers.

Title Roscommon Directory (Commercial & Historical) 1920.

0907 Your Directory 094.

Boyle Residential & Business Directory 1st edition.

na Bhn Tourism Co-Operative, Boyle. 79 pp. Stapled.

Boyle Residential & Business Directory 2nd edition.

na Bhn Tourism Co-Operative, Boyle. 86 pp. Stapled.

Boyle Residential & Business Directory 3rd edition.

na Bhn Tourism Co-Operative, Boyle. 87 pp. Spiral bound.

Boyle Residential & Business Directory 4th edition.

na Bhn Tourism Co-Operative, Boyle. 83 pp. Spiral bound.

Ballinasloe & District Guide. 2nd edition?

Ballinasloe & District Guide. 1st edition.

Castlerea and District Business Directory.

Castlerea Community School Student publication. 0907 area.

Roscommon Business Directory.

Roscommon County Enterprise Board Ltd. 75 pp. Countywide.

Athlone Traders Guide & Local Area Index 1996

248 pp. Desmond Egan Clef Promotions Ltd., Athlone.

Athlone & District Guide.

Athlone & District Guide. New Edition.

Athlone & District Guide. 3rd Edition.

Athlone Traders Guide & Local Area Index.

Athlone Business Guide & Local Area Index.

272 pp. Desmond Egan International Designs Ire.

Business & Shopping Guide Ltd. Navan. 224 pp.

Business & Shopping Guide Ltd. Navan. 216 pp.

Remarks Business & Shopping Guide Ltd. Navan. 255 pp.

Business & Shopping Guide Ltd. Navan. 255 pp.

Business & Shopping Guide Ltd. Navan. 320 pp.

Business & Shopping Guide Ltd. Navan. 288 pp.

Boyle Chamber of Commerce.

Elphin Phone Directory 2011.

Transition Year Mini-Company project.

Eola Telefin na hireann - Irish Telephone Directory. 1966.

Title Classified Telephone Directory Golden Pages New Regional Directory.

Irish Telephone Directory - Part 2.

441 pp public & 303 pp business listing for 07/09 area.

592 pp public & 320 pp business listing for 07/09 area.

528 pp public & 304 pp business listing for 07/09 area.

552 pp public & 320 pp business listing for 07/09 area.