IRISH POSTAGE company An Post have released four new stamps to celebrate Ireland's Oscar winners ahead of this Sunday's award ceremony.
The four stamps feature the faces of Ireland's six Oscar winners: Brenda Fricker, Daniel Day Lewis, Neil Jordan, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglova and Martin McDonagh.
Designed by Dublin Studio Red&Grey, the booklet of four 'N' stamps which cover standard letter postage within the island of Ireland, celebrates their success with photographs of the moment each of them picked up their Oscar statuettes at their respective ceremonies.
Fricker and Lewis won their Oscars in the Best Supporting Actress and Best Actor for My Left Foot in 1990, Jordan won Best Screenplay for The Crying Game in 1993, McDonagh won for Best Live Action Short Film for Six Shooter in 2006 and Hansard and Irglová for Best Original Song in Once in 2008.
Speaking at the unveiling of the Irish Oscar Winner stamps, Neil Jordan said:
"I never thought that I would win an Oscar, but I never ever thought I would be on an Irish stamp. What a privilege."
Debbie Byrne, Managing Director of An Post, said the company is "committed to showcasing and supporting the best of Irish culture and talent."
"The Irish Oscar Winners stamps celebrate the best in the business and serve as a reminder of what we, as Irish people, can achieve. This special issue is being released just in time for the 94thAcademy Awards ceremony and we wish all of our Irish talent the very best of luck this weekend.”
The 4-stamp booklets are available from today and are priced at €5 per booklet from www.anpost.com/Oscars
This year's Irish Oscar hopefuls include Kenneth Branagh's Belfast, which has been nominated in seven categories including Best Picture and Best Director. Northern Irish actor Ciarán Hinds has also been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in the film.
Jessie Buckley from Kerry has also been nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role in The Lost Daughter.
