ABC’s – What Are They? [001]

WHAT ARE THE ABC’S ?

The ABC’s are short discussions of various topics in Irish philately. They are not complete discussions in depth.  Many include reference lists for the reader to peruse deeper at their convenience.  Illustrations or scans pertain to the topic, but again are not all-inclusive.  If you think an item is exclusive, you are probably in error.  Yes, there are a few, but to find one is a real treasure.    Consider, written communication goes back to around the 6th century, and if you count the Irish Ogham markings, it goes back even further.  Many factors have influenced how things were done.  800 year of British rule did leave its mark.  On the other hand, local adaptation of directives sometimes brought unusual results.

This collection presents the views of a number of authors.  As with any similar collection, there are contradictions and disagreements.  Since these were done over a number of years, they may not always present the up-to-date picture.  As with any reference source, it is wise to review as many sources as possible.

The true value of the ABC’s is to give the reader a short summary to determine if the subject is of value to the reader, and answer general questions.  They also serve to illustrate the breadth of Irish philately.