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An Post
You can now buy stamps celebrating modern Irish literature
Emma Donoghue, author of Room, said she “shed a tear” when she heard that her book would appear on the stamps.
AN POST HAS released four literary-themed stamps celebrating significant works of modern Irish fiction.
Featuring on the stamps are Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín; Room by Emma Donoghue; Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan and That They May Face the Rising Sun by John McGahern.
Each of the titles, published in the last 25 years, is award-winning and adapted for screen.
Speaking from her home in Canada, Emma Donoghue, author of Room, said she “shed a tear” when she heard that her book would appear on the stamps.
“Emigrants often assume that we have left the country and it moves on without us,” Donoghue said.
“So, for me to feel that my novel is treasured enough to feature on this set of Irish stamps with the other authors being honoured is a huge thing; and to feel recognised as part of the infrastructure of Irish culture by appearing on this stamp, I couldn’t be more touched.”
The stamps were designed by illustrator Jack Smyth, and each includes a small detail representing the novel, for example a lump of coal is on the stamp featuring Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These.
In a statement, An Post said: “The celebrated authors have each made a lasting contribution to literary fiction, holding a special place among the hearts of Irish readers while reaching a global readership.”
An Post said it expects strong demand for the stamps from collectors, book lovers and fans of Irish design.
Aileen Mooney, Irish Stamps Manager, said: “These four beautifully crafted stamps celebrate the best of modern Irish culture through Ireland’s rich tradition of literary fiction.”
“Travelling on letters around the world, they will act as ambassadors for Irish identity, sent by our nation of readers and letter writers who support Irish authors and bookshops around the country. We look forward to continuing our celebration of Irish writing in all its forms with the An Post Irish Book Awards, just around the corner.”
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