Minister Launches Tall Ships Stamps

3 July 2005

Three new postage stamps marking the start in Waterford on July 9th of the Tall Ships Race 2005 were unveiled by Mr Noel Dempsey TD, Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources aboard the replica famine ship, Dunbrody. 

Speaking in advance of the Tall Ships Race and Festival, Minister Dempsey said he was pleased to unveil these special stamps and to wish everyone involved with the event the very best of luck over the coming weeks.

Festivities will kick off in Waterford on July 6th with a Parade of Sail along the river Suir, in advance of the start of the race on July 9th. The Race will finish in Fredrikstad, Norway on August 3rd, 2005.

Designed by Irish artist Vincent Killowry, a 48c stamp shows the Irish Tallship Dunbrody, a replica of a ship built in Quebec in 1845. Originally built as a cargo vessel, the ship was later fitted with bunks and used to transport passengers desperate to escape the catastrophic Irish famine of the late 1840s. The Dunbrody will serve as the reviewing vessel for this year’s Parade of Sail along the Suir.

A 60c stamp – covering airmail postage to Britain – shows the Tall Ship Tenacious, the largest wooden tall ship in the world. It was built in the late 1990s to allow physically disabled people to experience the thrill of sailing this type of vessel.

A 65c stamp – covering airmail postage to the rest of the world – features the Tallship Eagle, a huge 295ft, three-mast Barque with a sail area of more than 21,000 sq ft adorns the 65c stamp. Incredibly, to handle a sail area of this enormity there is over five miles of rope (or rigging) on board the ‘Eagle’. The ship serves as a seagoing classroom for approximately 175 cadets and instructors from the US Coast Guard Academy.

The stamps, a first day cover and a presentation pack containing all the products together with some background information about the Tall Ships Race are available from July 4, 2005 at the Philatelic Shop, GPO, at main post offices and online at www.irishstamps.ie

View these magnificent new stamps at www.irishstamps.ie