The Abbey Press has been making waves recently. Founded last year, the Newry-based publishing company has a small list of authors that would be the envy of many a publishing company - works by poets Michael Longley and Gerald Dawe, and an anthology that includes work by novelists Robert McLiam Wilson and Glenn Patterson are just some of the well-produced books published by the press. All this is twice as impressive when you consider that four out of the five board members are full-time teachers at the Abbey Grammar School in Newry, Co Down.

Publishing ventures by schools are not unusual - the pupils of Wesley College in Dublin have edited three volumes of the excellent Lifelines poetry collection and more recently two Newpark Comprehensive students in Dublin compiled a volume to mark the school's 25th anniversary. However, the Abbey Grammar School is the first Irish school to be associated with a professional, working, publishing company, producing volumes that have a life far beyond the auspices of the school. It all started with an arts week held at the school in February 1997. Now, arts festivals are two a penny, especially in the summer months, but this one was a little different. The brain child of English teacher, Mel McMahon and poet Adrian Rice, it was held in Abbey Grammar, a Christian Brothers school, but it was open to the general public and to other schools - pupils from both Catholic and Protestant schools flocked to the week of readings and lectures. The calibre of speakers was particularly high: poets Ian Duhig, Gerald Dawe and Michael Longley; children's writer Tom McCraughen; novelists Robert McLiam Wilson and Glenn Patterson, and broadcaster and writer, John Kelly were among those who read from their work. The week ended with a book launch of a volume of poetry by Adrian Rice. It was the first book produced by the Abbey Press.

Adrian, who was hired by the school to book the speakers and work out the schedule and is now editor at the press, explains: "I was talking to Mel and saying that it would be good to publish work by one of the speakers, as a kind of anchor to the event. He looked at me with the kind of smile that I knew meant it was going to be my work that was published. I agreed, of course, but said I wanted input into how it was designed."

Adrian worked closely with the printers Nicholson and Bass, who had produced his previous collection, Muck Island, a collaboration with artist Ross Wilson. Impediments was the name given to the pamphlet and the Abbey Press was the name decided on by Adrian and Mel for the publishing company. Both book and arts week were declared a success and within weeks, Mel and Adrian decided to do another book, capitalising on the good working relationship they had with the arts week speakers.

An anthology of new work called Signals was the second book from the press, and it was the result of an unusual sponsorship. Mel and Adrian approached printer Donal Cassidy and asked him to take a risk and pay for all the printing and binding costs; any profits from the book would go straight back to him. After the success of this second volume, the Abbey Grammar School realised that the press was a serious proposition and decided that the school would be affiliated with the press. A management board made up of the school's principal, Dermot McGovern, the head of English, Patrick Mooney, and the bursar, Pat Crawley, together with Mel and Adrian, was created. The school agreed to put forward all the money for the books, as well as funding the launch parties, which always take place first at the school. It has been a good partnership. Mel and Adrian have wheedled new work out of Michael Longley and Gerald Dawe - who describes laughing when Mel said he'd be looking for a book from him at the arts week only to realise he was completely in earnest - and a new volume by poet Mark Roper is out at the end of May. For their part, the pupils at the school have completely adopted the press; more than half of the 1,000 print runs have been sold at the school launch evenings with some students paying for the books on a 50 pence a week instalment plan.

Books are published on a commission basis - the plan is to ask each of the extensive list of speakers at the 1997 arts week to publish some new work with the press and so far the response has been very positive. In time, the press may also be used to publish an anthology of pupils' work as Adrian Rice has been appointed writer-in-residence in the school. Mel is very clear on the importance of the links between school and press: "It's so important for the kids. They've got a book in their hands that is a lovely object; it's good reading and they've met the guy who wrote it. It really starts them thinking `Maybe I could do this'. That's what's important."