FORERUNNERS – 1916 Era. [097]

About the time of the rising in Dublin in 1916, three Nationalist propaganda labels appeared. Two of these were re-issues of the 1908 Sinn Finn Celtic Cross and Hibernia with Wolfhound types with wide ad narrow crowns in the upper corners. (See ABC 95) (FIGURES 1 Broad Crown) (Figure 2 Narrow Crown).

A third is known as the Manchester Martyrs label of 1916. This consisted of portraits of Allen, Larkin and O’Brien with their names, one for each leaf of a large Shamrock, with harp at center. The words “GOD SAVE IRELAND” were underneath. The design was printed on paper colored in a tricolor of green, white and orange. (Figure 3).  This stamp was printed in un-severed pairs with the double green color at center. Thus they could be doubled around a pin and used as a small flag or lapel pin with full design showing on both sides. Some were used as stamps and, no doubt, some were used as flags; but the majority of them were seized and destroyed by the British. Reproductions and forgeries exist.

Another set, known as “Erie Puist” appeared about the same time as a sheet of eight with pictures of seven of the leaders of the 1916 Uprising, and the harp & shamrock. Undenominated, it is thought they originated in the United States. Note the spelling of Eire as Erie, possibly by an American not familiar with Gaelic. Figures 4 shows, L to R, Padraig Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh, James Connolly and The O”Rahilly. Figure 5 shows Eamon deValera, Con Colbert, Eamon Ceannt, and the Harp and Shamrock. These were printed se tenant in sheets of 8 in a 4×2 format on gummed paper and roughly perforated 11.

REFERENCES:

“Stamps with an Irish Story”, Rev. Brennan, John, D.F. Newsletter, Vol.2.,No.17, Winter 1974.

Hibernian Handbook and Catalog of the Postage Stamps of Irelan d, Hamilton-Bowen, Roy, 2014.

The Revealer, Die Harfe, and the The Irish Philatelist have had numerous articles.

Thanks to Barney Clancy for the scans.\\

2/22/2019