www.irishstamps.ie

An Post launched on Friday 10th October, the second phase of their
acclaimed Irish Music stamp series celebrating the buoyancy and flair of
the Irish music scene. Planxty, De Dannan, The Bothy Band and the Tulla
Ceílí Band, four of Irelands’ most renowned and best loved groups are
featured in performance on the new stamps.

The series of four stamps celebrates the phenomenon and the legacy of Irish
traditional music. The bands are captured at the height of the trad boom
during the purple patch of the seventies. Each of the stamps is painted by
Irish artist Finbarr O’Connor, with typography by Steve Simpson.

Planxty (55c stamp) began playing in the early 70’s and became an immediate
success at home, in the UK and Europe. Planxty revitalised the Irish music
scene with a set of folk and traditional songs and tunes performed with an
unusual line-up of instruments that included bouzouki, mandolin and guitars
with uileann pipes, bodhrán and tin whistle.

The group reformed during 2004 proving that now as in the 70’s Irish
acoustic music can be an exhilarating experience. At the GPO today, Andy
Irvine said “Stamp collecting was my childhood hobby. Little did I think
that, one day, I might become a collectible myself!”

De Dannan (55c stamp) formed in 1974 and took their name from the Tuatha De
Dannan, a mythical Irish Tribe. De Dannan trademarks include their rhythmic
sound and a great willingness to experiment, demonstrated in recordings of
the Beatles, Handel and Queen. The band is one of the most influential
bands in Irish traditional music and while the vocalists with De Dannan
have frequently changed they read like a Who’s Who of Irish music.
Attending the stamp issue, De Dannan musician Charlie Piggott said “Having
contributed to the promotion of Traditional Irish Music and as a keen
philatelist, I consider it both an honour and a privilege to be celebrated
on an Irish stamp.”

The Bothy Band (82c stamp), or the Bothies, also first got together in 1974
debuting at Trinity College Dublin in 1975. The band was noted for the
musicians’ highly energetic live performances including fiddle, pipes and
flute. Their fire and talent has long outlasted the group’s brief and
brilliant history. Some performances were captured by the BBC and have been
released as an album.

The Tulla Céilí Band (82c stamp) was formed in 1946 from a group in east
Clare taking part in that year’s Limerick Fleadh. Still going strong today,
the band is now together for over 60 years and has undergone many changes
of personnel in this time. Their superb music and individual style features
traditional céilí rhythms played with a lively swing and continues to win
fans in Ireland and abroad.

In 2006 An Post issued the first in the series of Irish Music stamps
featuring ’snapshot in time’ photographs of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy
Makem; The Dubliners; The Chieftains and Altan.

The Irish Music Part 2 stamp is sure to be extremely popular with
collectors and Irish music lovers. The stamps are available in the
philatelic shop at the GPO (01-705 7400), selected post offices nationwide
or online at www.irishstamps.ie