Stamp to commemorate the Irish Citizen Army

17 April 2014

The stamp and a First Day Cover are available at main post offices, at the Irish Stamps shop in Dublin’s GPO and online at irishstamps.ie.

Originally a commemorative stamp was due to go on sale in January but it was withdrawn prior to issue due to the emergence of new information regarding the photograph of an individual which was to feature on the stamp.  

It was believed that the man in the photo was Captain Jack White, a former British Army Officer who, in 1913, volunteered to train the Irish Citizen Army.  This photograph had been published, without challenge, in academic books and periodicals over many years, including the highly regarded publications History Ireland and The Irish Civil War. 

However, just ahead of the stamp issue date, a historian disputed the veracity of the image saying that the man in the photograph was not Capt Jack White.  Given the doubt raised and the subsequent dabate, An Post has issued a revised stamp showing an image of the Irish Citizen Army at Croydon Park, Dublin.