Ireland’s Philatelic Modernism

Abstract

This chapter traces the evolution of the humble postage stamp in Ireland – especially from the 1920s to the 1950s – from nationalist heresy to nationalist orthodoxy. Stamps played a significant heretical role in asserting an Irish national identity – for both symbolic and fundraising purposes – and harnessing revolutionary energies pre-independence. Later, however, they promoted a nationalist orthodoxy intended to shape ideology domestically and perception of Ireland internationally, after the foundation of the Free State. Ulin examines the complex political constraints that stifled innovations in philatelic design and prevented postage stamps from emulating modernist experiments in print culture and modern design. (98)