Hibernian Handbook and Catalogue of the Postage Stamps of Ireland 2020

Hibernian Handbook and Catalogue of the Postage Stamps of Ireland 2020. By Roy Hamilton-Bowen and Lee R Wolverton. 327 pages, well illustrated; 17 x 24 1/2 x 4 cm format. Published in English by Rodgau Philatelie, Rodgau, Germany (14th edition). ISBN (Germany): 978-3-9807973-3-7. Price 40 euros (plus shipping), available from Roy Hamilton-Bowen at [email protected], via PayPal.

Reviewer: Robert Benninghoff

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APRL Locator: [G5780 .A1 H624hs 2020]

The catalog deals with the stamps of Southern Ireland, the Irish Free State, and the Republic of Ireland and does not list or discuss the regional stamps of Northern Ireland. The scholarly work by the authors is evident throughout the catalog and they have added 55 pages since the last edition in 2014. The book is divided into two principal sections. The first section is a detailed list of all the stamps issued in Ireland from 1922 to 2019 with a guide to current values of Irish stamps (223 pages). Railway letter stamps are included in this section. The second is a specialized section showing great research into all aspects of the stamps of Ireland. Included are political and propaganda labels; a broad study of the overprint stamp issues and their varieties; essays and trails of the first Irish designed stamps; coil stamp and their leaders and tab ends and much more. The catalog won a Gold medal in 2019 at STAMPA, The Irish National Stamp Show.

Ireland’s Transition: The Postal History of the Transitional Period 1922-1925

Ireland’s Transition: The Postal History of the Transitional Period 1922-1925. By Dr. C.I. Dulin. Published by MacDonnell Whyte Ltd, Dublin, Ireland, 1992. ISBN: 09517095-1-8. Available from David MacDonnell at [email protected].

Reviewer: Robert Benninghoff

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This publication covers much more than postal history in Ireland during the tumultuous period of Irish history, when Southern Ireland was gaining independence from Great Britain. Topics covered include the stamps and postage due labels of the Irish Free State; the problems with the mail during the Irish Civil War (1922 to 1923); parcels and the new customs area with Northern Ireland; railway stamps and mail and much more. The book is 394 pages and remains the preeminent source for all aspect of Irish philately during the early 1920s.

Irish Philately: That Was the Year That Was - A Compendium of Irish Philately from 1971 to 2020

Irish Philately: That Was the Year That Was - A Compendium of Irish Philately from 1971 to 2020. 1,000 pages. Published in two volumes by the Irish Philatelic Circle. These two catalogs list all the stamps, postal stationery, postcards, first day covers and souvenir sheets and postmarks issued in the Irish Republic since 1971. Price 45 euros (plus shipping) available from Brian Warren at [email protected], via PayPal.

Reviewer: Robert Benninghoff

[email protected]

Volume 1 (1971 to 1979) and Volume 2 (2000 to 2020) cover all aspects of the last 50 years of Irish philately including special event postmarks and cancels. Included in the books are all postage stamps, souvenir sheets, booklets and coil stamps including the relatively new Stamps on a Roll (SOAR). Postal stationery, postcards and first day covers are also included. Design and printing details are given for all items included. The attention to detail is evident throughout the two volumes, making the books the dominant reference source for modern Irish philately.