ABCs of Irish Philately -
Great Britain Used in Ireland
Many people do not realise that Ireland issed the world's first postage stamp. As a member of the United Kingdon of Great Britain and Ireland, the famous Penny Black stamp was issued in Ireland as well as the rest of the kingdom. Great Britain Used in Ireland is a category of collecting stamps that were used in Ireland. Before issuance of numbered and name cancels, some marking are well known by certain distinctive qualities, but other markings can also assist in identifying such items.
Until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 this was the only way to collect Irish stamps and there are still uses that come after 1922 during the Transition Period before new Irish stamps were issued though there are some oddities that allow you to collect Great Britain Used in Ireland for a short time after 1922.
Below is a small selection of covers/entires where the adhesives were used in Ireland with different styles of cancellations that changed numerious times during the period.
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Penny BlackA large margins 1d black, an early impression tied to entire from Limerick to Dublin by distinctive red Limerick Maltese Cross. Undated entire but used between May 1840 and February 1841 when the red ink was replaced by black ink. |
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Moate Diamond Killer & CDSMoate Numeral '33' obliterator applied to adhesives with cds dated August 16, 1868 alongside to Geneva, Switzerland. The postage was fully paid 5d to destination as indicated by the red 'PD' in circle marking. |
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Irish Duplex Cancel1873 mourning cover franked 6d from Bray, Co. Wicklow to Malta. The cancel is a combination of the stand-alone numeral cancel and the circular town name in a single unit. Bary was assigned the number '72'. |
© 2005 ÉPA, Éire Philatelic Association
Last Update: 7 December 2005