Stamp set marks Lockout centenary
29 August 2013
The Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte TD, along with the General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions David Begg, the President of SIPTU, Jack O’Connor, and others, met at Dublin’s GPO to review material used in the final design of the 1913 commemorative stamps.
Speaking at the GPO, Minister Rabbitte said: “An Post’s special and commemorative stamps have marked many of our country’s anniversaries and commemorations of national and international importance. I am very pleased to acknowledge that the three Lockout stamps unveiled today maintain the design standards we are accustomed to from An Post. They will raise awareness locally, nationally and internationally of an event of considerable economic and political significance. And I have no doubt but that we have more to look forward to in this decade of commemorations“.
David Begg, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions said.
“An Post’s stamps rightly recognise the key role played by Jim Larkin, James Connolly and Countess Markievicz in the events of the 1913 Lockout. They also capture pictorially the difficult day-to-day experiences of ordinary workers and their families at that time and their heroic determination to achieve decent treatment and fairness at work and, ultimately, radical social change and advancement. Critical to events of one hundred years ago was the right of workers to organise and to collectively bargain – an issue that has yet to be resolved, along with the timeless pursuit of decent work."
Also present was renowned Irish designer, Ger Garland, who produced the stamps for An Post. The set makes use of original photographs from the 1913 era as a backdrop to three of the leading figures of the Lockout, Jim Larkin, James Connolly and Countess Markiewicz. The new stamps, as well as a specially produced booklet containing extra background information and stamps, may be viewed and purchased at irishstamps.ie, at the GPO and main post offices.
The stamps feature photographs from the ‘Darkest Dublin’ photographic collection, James Connolly, is seen with the original ITGWU Head Quarters building in the background; Constance Markiewicz against a photograph of children outside tenement buildings in Chancery Lane (now Bride Street) and Jim Larkin against a photograph of the Bloody Sunday Riot which took place in O’Connell Street just outside the GPO.
The stamps will also feature during national 1913 centenary event with President Michael D. Higgins which takes place on O’Connell Street on Saturday next, August 31st.
