The issue of four more denominations of the new permanent series of postage stamps for Ireland.
Following an international competition, designs for the new Irish definitive postage stamps were announced in 1967. The winning artist Heinrich Gerl from Munich in Germany was chosen from 11 artists who submitted 57 designs.
Heinrich Gerl's series of postage stamps feature animal symbols associated with early Irish art. In October 1968 four denominations of the full series of sixteen values went on sale.
Five months later another four denominations of the new definitive series of stamps are issued by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. These are 4d, 5d, 10d and 1s.
The value of orders already received from philatelists for the stamps at the General Post Office (GPO) already exceeds £5,000.
In Dublin, philatelic mail must be handed in at either the GPO or St Andrew Street Post Office. At the GPO there are long queues of people anxious to have first day covers. Their covers are stamped and addressed in advance before they are handed in at the post office counter.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 31 March 1969. The footage shown here is mute.
