Ireland

Ireland, or Eire, is an island country west of Great Britain.
 * Until the end of 1921, Ireland was part of the United Kingdom and used British stamps.
 * In February 1922, provisional overprints on British issues reading Rialtar Sealadaċ na héirann 1922 (approximately) in Irish insular script. There were several printings identifiable by printer. See: Irish provisional overprints.
 * Beginning in 1922, overprints reading Saorstát Eirann 1922 were produced in several types. See: Irish Free State overprints.
 * Soon after that, stamps were issued inscribed ÉIRE, again in insular script. Aside from a lettering style change, this has been used continually to date.
 * The 1948-65 airmails are inscribed AER-POST.
 * In 1984, tiny year dates were added ot the bottom margin.
 * Beginning in 1990, self-adhesives were issued, often in booklets or coils.

 File:Ireland Harrison coil.jpg|Harrison and Sons coil printing. Note machine-trimmed perfs at top and bottom. File:Ireland Saorstat 1935.jpg|2/6 Free State overprint File:Ireland 3p airmail.jpg|1948 airmail. File:Ireland book.jpg|1958 3p Constitution issue. File:Ireland coin.jpg|10p currency issue of 1978. File:Ireland self adhesive.jpg|1995 32p self adhesive. File:Ireland Cable.jpg|from the 2008 transatlantic cable issue. 

Postage dues
Postage dues are inscribed postas le híoc and POSTAGE DUE.  File:Ireland due first.jpg|1925 1p value File:Ireland 8p due.jpg|1962 8p value File:Ireland 1980s due.jpg|1980 4p value File:Ireland 1988 4p due.jpg|1988 4p value 
 * In 1925, a numeral design inscribed as above was issued on "se" watermarked paper.
 * In 1940-70, the designs were issued on "e" watermarked paper. This included both new values and new colors over time.
 * In 1971, a set in new colors was issued.
 * In 1978, three values were issued on unwatermarked paper.
 * In 1980-85, an issued with a Celtic knot design was introduced.
 * In 1988, numeral designs in three colors each were issued, inscribed ÉIRE.

Vending machine stamps

 * In 1990, the post office began to use different vending machines produced by Amiel, Frama and Klüssendorf experimentally. Each had a different and rather spartan design. These could only be issued in several fixed rates each due to equipment limitations.
 * In 1993, a postage meter-tape machine that could issue any denomination was first used at postal counters.
 * At some point, a Frama machine was the one selected for use but was discontinued after a time.
 * Beginning in 2008, the first of the SOAR ("stamps on a roll") issues appeared, now using Wincor-Nixdorf machines. These were and are self-adhesive with up to 8 different multicolor designs. From 2010, the designs have year date below. They also have a 5 digit code for date of vending. Counter-issued and philatelic bureau stamps have thermal data printing, the latter coded with a leading "0250" at bottom.





[[Category:I]]