Sean O'Casey's 3 Dublin Plays - Strip of 3 National Stamps

On March 21, we are proud to issue three stamps to honour one of Ireland’s greatest literary figures, Sean O’Casey.

Born in Dublin in 1880, O’Casey’s working class background strongly influenced his writings. His three Dublin plays, which are the subject of our ‘N’ denomination stamps, focus on different events that affected the lives of ordinary Dubliners. These special issues vividly capture the unique appeal of these theatrical classics.

The Shadow of a Gunman was O’Casey’s first play to be accepted by the Abbey Theatre in 1923. The play dealt with the impact of revolutionary politics on Dublin’s slums and their inhabitants. An instant success, it established his career as a playwright.

A year later, Juno and the Paycock, became the first play at the Abbey Theatre to run for more than one week. This play dealt with the effect of the Irish Civil War on the poor of the city.

In 1926, The Plough and the Stars featured at the Abbey Theatre. This time the story was set in Dublin around the 1916 Rising. It is considered to be among O’Casey’s most autobiographical works (he was actively involved in the organisation of the Irish Citizen Army). It is also remembered for a controversial riot at the theatre during its staging.

O’Casey’s three Dublin plays were widely acknowledged, including ultimately by WB Yeats, to have sustained the Abbey Theatre in its early years. They balanced deeply comic and tragic elements in the context of the stark realism of the tumultuous period in question.

Our stamps feature atmospheric graphics to celebrate his Dublin trilogy.

Product code 2305ST