New Stamps Celebrate Writer and Physicist

16 September 2003

The O’Connor stamp which cost 50c was unveiled by his widow, Mrs Harriet O’Donovan Sheehy at St Patrick’s Boys National School, Gardiner’s Hill, Cork today (September 16, 2003).

Born Michael O’Donovan at Douglas Street, Cork in 1903, his early literary talent was fostered by Daniel Corkery who taught him at St Patrick’s for several years. This tutelage coupled with his early life experience in Cork proved to be a bountiful source of literary inspiration for O’Connor throughout his life.

A 57c stamp commemorates ETS Walton who was born in Dungarvan, Co Waterford and graduated from Trinity College Dublin. Having moved to Cambridge University he split the atom by artificial means in 1932, with John Cockroft. While Head of the TCD Physics Department (1947 to 1974) he was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1951, the only Irish person to be so honoured.

The stamps with a special First Day Cover are available at main post offices, and on-line at www.irishstamps.ie