AS THE star of classic films like The Quiet Man, Maureen O’Hara blazed a trail as Ireland’s first bona fide Hollywood star.
Now the pioneering Oscar winner’s contribution to the Emerald Isle is set to be celebrated as part of a dazzling new set of stamps issued by An Post to mark International Women’s Day.
O’Hara is one of five Irish women to feature in the collection with each recognised for their incredible achievements in the world of Fashion, Film, Aviation, Athletics and Art.
She is joined on the esteemed list by Carmel Snow, the Editor-in-Chief of the influential ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ from 1934 to 1958 and Lillian Bland, the first woman in the world to design, build and fly an aeroplane.
Bland famously took to the skies in the ‘Mayfly’ in 1910, and successfully completed her first flight that same year.
Maureen O'Hara in Cong, Co. Galway during filming (Image: YouTube)Maeve Kyle, the first woman to represent Ireland at the Olympics in 1956, and Ireland’s first triple Olympian, also features.
Round off the list of trailblazing women, meanwhile, is Sarah Purser, portraitist and stained-glass artist was the first female member of the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1924.
Commenting on the new stamps, Debbie Byrne, Managing Director of An Post Retail said:
“Some of these women are practically unknown, their names strangely absent from the history books and rolls of honour.
“To mark International Women’s Day 2020, An Post is proud to shine a light on these women’s remarkable achievements so that men and women alike can be inspired by their courage and determination.
“These are the perfect stamps to post to the women we know who inspire, challenge and sustain us, and let them know we’re thinking of them”.
Designed by Oonagh Young at Irish firm Design HQ, the stamps are available at the GPO, Dublin, selected post offices nationwide and online at anpost.com/shop, with free delivery.
