Gerard Mercator was born in 1512 and died in 1594, the year before this map was finally published. No introduction needs to be given to him as we are all aware of the projection named after him. The 1595 edition was published by his son Rumold who himself died in 1599. In 1604 the stock of Mercator plates was acquired by Jodocus Hondius who first published them in 1606. This particular map remained unchanged through the editions to 1633 although it was altered for the first English edition in 1636. This example is from the 1633 German edition, one in which this was the only Irish map included. Bonar-Law ‘The Printed Maps of Ireland to 1612’ p. 18-20; Koeman II Me 12 no. 85.