Urban art

The latest stamp issue from the Irish Post Office shows it is doing its best to be edgy and contemporary in its approach. The new booklet and associated stamps are striking and the booklet provides an interesting insight into the development of street art over the last twenty years or so from an expression of political protect to an art form in its own right. Admirers of the genre will be pleased to see this new addition to some of the excellent art stamps issued by the Post Office since its first foray into contemporary art  back in 1969 – remember the large format Evie Hone Eton Chapel window?

National Ploughing Championships

All eyes are on Tullamore for the ploughing at present but back in 1973 the focus was on Wellington Bridge in county Wexford for world event. The stamp by Patrick Scott captures the essence of earth against a blue sky with the horizontal lines paying tribute to the ploughman’s straight lines.

 

Telegram delivery boys c1917

Irish Post Office “boy messengers”, as they were called then, in their pre-independence uniforms. Note the duty number on the jacket lapels with T for telegraph followed by a number.

Finnish independence – 2017

We attended the very well organised Finlandia stamp exhibition in Tampere earlier in the year which focused particularly on the centenary of Finnish independence. Sinn Fein’s propaganda labels, used here in the years before the 1916 rebellion, probably drew inspiration from a similar scheme drawn up by the Finns to highlight the desire for independence from Russia.

The Celtic Cross motif used here later, of course, became better known as part of Ireland’s first definitive issue.

 

 

Application to Harvard 1975

I hope there was more space in Harvard than there was on this 1975 registered envelope from Kenya!

Sir Charles Parsons – Irish engineer

Great event at Trinity College last night to launch a beautiful silver coin for this Irish engineering genius and inventor of the turbine. He was recognized many years ago on an Irish stamp series for science and technology.