September Meeting

The September Meeting will be held on Friday 10th September 2010 at RPS, 74 Boucher Rd. The presentation will be a change to the published program and will include a display by David Sweeney on Italy 1861-3. Please come along from 7:00PM.

Last Meeting:-

The August Meeting was held on Friday 13th August 2010 at RPS, 74 Boucher Rd. The presentation was a trial Social Philately display of Irish Post Offices starting with the letter A. This was the first of a series of displays and was presented to the society to highlight some of Irelands smallest post offices from hamlets and cross roads around Ireland. The society was delighted to welcome a number of guests including the Australian President of the Wanneroo Stamp Club, Joe Wedlock and his wife Maureen.

The Society operates a Library for members. Over the coming months we will add a members' area to the site with a list of the books that are available for short term loan. In this Section we will add details of the latest Catalogues or Reference Books added to the Library.

Aughnagurgan Post Office - County Armagh

The Belfast Newsletter on 13th April 1857 wrote "We understand that a Post Office has been opened at Augnagurgan, under Keady, which promises to be advantageouos to parties residing between Keady & Newtownhamilton, as it will enable them to get their papers and letters in teh morning, instead of (as at present) at 6 or 7 o'clock in the evening." The post office was closed between 1859-60. Does anyone have any marks from this office that we can add to the database?

Remember Date for Diary

Latest Pictures - Aughintain Post Office, Clogher.

If you have any comments or items that you would like added please do email us. Latest Updates are Noted Below. To access these click on the highlighted text.

29 August 2010. Index page updated with new images. Post Offices added as follows, Arney, Articlave, Artigarvan, Artnagross, Ashfield, Attical, Aughafatten, Aughnagallon, Aughamullen, Augher & Aughintain. Latest News and Cover of the month archived.

23 August 2010 - Further photos and postmarks added for Strandtown.

22 August 2010 - 203 files uploaded. Further post marks added to Armagh and a short 20 page review on 'The Post Office in Ireland - Armagh Post Office', added to the display section. Postmark index updated for Ardstraw, Ardtrea, Armoy, Strandtown, Maynooth, Kilcock, Tuam & Ards Centre.

15 August 2010 - Home page updated and preliminary page loaded for Armagh post office.

8 August 2010 - Postmark index updated. Postmarks added for Athenry, Parkmore, Oranmore, Rosscahill, Kilrickle, Kilconnell, Moyard, Kinvara, Recess, Carna, Strandtown, Galway, Headford, Ballyshrule and Tuam. Thanks to Selwood and David for most of these images.

6 August 2010 - 273 images of book covers uploaded. 23 book details added to the Library List. An example is book ref NIPS06.

1 August 2010 - Cover of the month updated. Strandtown Post Office added as a web page. Updates added to meeting programme. 345 Pages updated with About Us and general information.

We are looking for new postmarks and pictures of Irish Post Offices. Please send us a copy of any images you have and we will add them to the database. We have started to add opening and closing dates to the Postmark index, can you help with these? This is a large page so please give it time to load.

Aughintain Post Office is recorded by Frank & Stange as opening between 1861-3. It was a rural sub office initially under Fivemiletown and I suspect in later years under Clogher. The office was located at 17 Aughintain Road, Clogher and in 1994 the red phone box was still visible outside. Mackay records a single ring proof dated 22 May 1904 however I do not have any other marks in my collection for this office. Can anyone shed any light on to the history of this office in the rural hinterland of Clogher. The work by A W Graham had recorded various postmasters and these are listed at the Augintain post mark page, which can be found here. I look forward to hearing from you on this office. Happy hunting!

September Cover of the Month - Aughnacloy Skeleton

The postcard to the left was posted from Auhnacloy to London on 7 October 1920. The 1d stamp is cancelled with a 34mm single ring skeleton reading AUGHNACLOY / CO. TYRONE / 12PM / 7 OC / 20. When did such a mark get introduced to Aughnacloy? Was the original cancel lost? How long was this mark in use? Does anyone have other examples that might help date the use of this skeleton?

If you have any information on this mark please do let me know - email. As I receive further information I will add it to a new post mark page for Aughnacloy and publish the findings at the end of September. Does anyone have an example of an Irish diamond with a 21 marking for Aughnacloy?

Previous covers of the month for 2010 can be viewed by clicking here. If you have any questions or covers for next month please do email me with details.

NIPS02

NIPS03