Expressions of rain on new Irish stamp

By Denise McCarty

A new Irish stamp features expressions that describe rain.

The stamp was issued Feb. 25. In announcing it, Ireland’s An Post said: “The new stamp titled ‘A Stamp for Ireland’ celebrates Irish Identity through a fun depiction of the Irish weather we all know and love!

“The design features the blue sky and green fields which typify the Irish landscape, with sheeting rain a key element of the scene. Closer inspection of the design reveals that the metallic silver raindrops are microscopic words in the Irish and English language which are everyday expressions for rain. The stamp carries a ‘W’ (worldwide) designation for international posting.”

Starting in the upper right, the English words and partial expressions include trying, raining stair rods, a squib, sun shower, soft day, torrential, wetting rain, rotten, cloudburst, bucketing, belting, a downpour, soft rain, a thunder shower, mist, drizzle, pouring rain and more.

An Post explained what a few of the terms mean. For example, a soft day is a mist, spitting is just a few drops of rain and lashing is a diagonal hard rain.

The Stone Twins (twin brothers Declan and Garech Stone) created the design for the stamp. Cartor Security Printing printed the stamp by offset with metallic silver in panes of 16.

Fiona Heffernan, An Post’s commercial marketing director, said: “An Post is delighted to issue this novel stamp, with popular expressions for rain in both Irish and English. We know this will appeal to the Irish public as a reflection of themselves but will also [appeal] to visitors to Ireland who expect and anticipate rain as an essential part of their visit.”

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