Ireland in Schools

1979 commemorating the centenary of the birth of Patrick Pearse.
The design is a play on Liberty Leading the People (right) a painting by Eugene Delacroix

of fighting at the Parisian barricades during the revolution of 1848.
On the Irish Stamp the Lady Liberty is depicted in front of the GPO and carries the Irish

‘tri-colour’ (green, white and orange rather than the French colours (blue, white and red). 

1970 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of Kevin Barry, a medical student

executed by the British for Republican activities.

1982 commemorating the centenary of the birth of Eamon De Valera.
After the Irish Civil War de Valera turned his back on the IRA and continued in politics.
He eventually became prime minister of the Irish Free State and later President of the

Republic of Ireland.

1986 commemorating Arthur Griffith, the founder of Sinn Fein and President of the

Provisional Irish Government from January,1922, until his death in August of that year.
Griffith, along with Michael Collins and others, negotiated a peace treaty with the British.
The design of the stamp is based on the photograph on the right from the National

Library of Ireland collection.

1990 depicting General Michael Collins in uniform as commander of the Army of the Irish

Free State.
The stamp design is based on the photograph of Collins on the right which was taken

at the funeral of Arthur Griffith on 12 August,1922.
Just 10 days later Michael Collins was killed in an ambush in the southwest of Ireland