An Post has commemorated two women of Irish Boxing in a new collection celebrating Ireland’s leading sportswomen, ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8th.
Among the 6 athletes are London Olympic champion, and undefeated world lightweight champion, Katie Taylor, and Tokyo Olympic Champion, Kellie Harrington.
The other athletes being honoured on the Irish Women in Sport stamps are:
- Rachael Blackmore, who became the first female top jockey at Cheltenham and the first female Aintree Grand National winner.
- Ireland Women’s Hockey Team, silver medallists at the 2018 World Cup, who have again qualified for the finals in 2022.
- Ellen Keane for whom winning a gold medal in 2021 capped a memorable 14-year Paralympics journey for the swimmer.
- Sonia O’Sullivan, Ireland’s most successful track and field female athlete, winning 16 major World, European and Olympic medals
The stamp booklet and First Day Cover envelope are available in all post offices and online at anpost.com/womeninsport from Thursday 3rd March in advance of International Women’s Day on 8th March.
Designed by Dublin studio, Unthink, the stamps are a bold design, multi-coloured on metallic silver. Each athletes’ name appears in large font, behind a powerful sporting moment, captured by sports photo journalists from Irish agencies Inpho and Sportsfile and for Getty Images.
Speaking at the unveiling of the stamps with members of the Irish Hockey Team at the GPO, Hildegard Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications said:
“It is only right and proper that we celebrate the success of Irish women in sport and what better time to do it than to mark International Women’s Day. I for one have the utmost respect for the Irish women in sport who are key role models to young girls the length and breadth of the country. They demonstrate how strength, resilience and determination can pay off when you, or your team, set a goal and strive to achieve it. We have a lot to be proud of in Ireland when it comes to our female athletes who have led the way for women in sport on the global stage. Long may it last and here’s to boundless success for future generations of Irish women and girls.”
ional (‘N’ rate) stamps celebrate success on a world stage with a range of action shots showing energy, passion and physical exertion in the pursuit of excellence. (Stamp Image Credits: Sonia O’Sullivan – Patrick Bolger/INPHO; Rachael Blackmore – Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images Sport/Via Getty Images; Katie Taylor- Gary Carr/INPHO; Kellie Harrington – Sam Barnes/Sportsfile and Irish Women’s Hockey – Morgan Treacy/INPHO).