Minister Launches An Post Castles of Ireland Stamps

9 March 2007

There are four 55c stamps in the set, featuring castles in the four provinces of Ireland: Trim Castle, Co Meath; Lismore Castle, Co Waterford; Portumna Castle, Co Galway and Dunluce Castle, Co Antrim.

Trim Castle in Co Meath is the largest remaining Anglo-Norman castle in Europe and stands at the edge of the area once known as ‘The Pale’.  Building of the castle was started by Hugh de Lacy in 1173 and completed in the 13th century.  In its centre stands the great tower or keep which was built in three phases dated to c1175, 1194 and c1202.

Lismore Castle in Co Waterford was originally built by King John in 1185, destroyed soon after and rebuilt by the bishops of Lismore who held it through the Middle Ages. Described as being in ruins in the Civil Survey c.1650, it was restored by the Earl of Cork by the end of the seventeenth century.

Portumna Castle in Co Galway is a large semi-fortified Jacobean house, probably the finest and most sophisticated of its period in Ireland.  Built in 1618 by Richard Burke, fourth Earl of Clanricarde, who would have been familiar with the fashions of the English Court, it was lost to Cromwell from 1652-61, and was gutted by fire in 1826.

Dunluce Castle in Co Antrim is one of the most picturesque settings of any castle in Ireland, situated on a precipitous rock outcrop overlooking the sea.  It had a turbulent history in the second half of the sixteenth century when Sorley Boy MacDonnell lived there.  His son, James McDonnell, who was knighted by James VI of Scotland restored the castle in the latest Scottish style in 1584.

Photographed by Walter Pfeiffer, the stamps are available from today from main Post Offices, along with a range of other products including a Minisheet, two First Day Covers and a Presentation Pack which are available from the Philatelic Shop in the GPO, by calling 01 705 7400 or from www.irishstamps.ie

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