100 Years of History Stamp Series

An Post commissioned us to research and design a series of stamps to mark the centenary of 3 milestone events in our history; the handover of Dublin Castles to the Irish Free State, the formation of the Irish Army and the formation of the civic guards.

After considerable research, assisted by historian and author Liz Gillis, and bearing in mind the scale of the stamps, we used the symbols of the nascent organisations in order to make a direct connection between the historic events and the organisations that would ultimately be established. We redrew the symbols and reproduced the stamps with intaglio printing, usually used in banknotes and passports, to give tactility and alongside the metallic gold, the overall effect felt appropriate for the centenary. Four sets of First Day Covers were created, one featuring all three stamps, and three with additional information to give greater context to each individual event. Finally, a collector’s souvenir folder containing a limited edition souvenir sheet celebrating 100 years of the postage stamp, making a direct connection between An Post's role in the development of the Irish state.