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Series A Banknotes (Ireland)
Encyclopedia
The Series A Banknotes were introduced by the Irish Free State
in 1928
and were the first banknotes created by and for the state; the series continued to be issued when the Free State became the Republic of Ireland
. The notes served from 1928 to 1977 and were replaced by Series B notes.
of the Irish Free State prescribed the design of the notes and received advice from an advisory commission. Waterlow and Sons
, Limited, London
printed the notes on behalf of the commission. The series consists of seven notes.
The predominant theme on the notes is the rivers of Ireland
which are depicted as heads taken from the Custom House
in Dublin. Rivers in both the Irish Free State
and Northern Ireland
were chosen and there is some uncertainty as to what rivers were chosen on particular denominations.
The Currency Commission notes were printed with Currency Commission/Coimisiún Airgid Reatha and Irish Free State/Saorstát Éireann with facsmiles of the signatures of the Chairman of the Currency Commission/Cathaoirleach Choimisiúin an Airgid Reatha and of the Secretary of the Department of Finance/Rúnaí na Roinne Airgid. When the Constitution of Ireland
had legal effect Ireland was substituted for Irish Free State, Éire for Saorstát Éireann.
In 1943 additional changes were made when the Central Bank Act 1942 gave legal effect. The Currency Commission was replaced with Central Bank of Ireland
/Banc Ceannais na hÉireann on the notes and the signature of the chairman was replaced with that of Governor/An Ghobharnóir.
Banknotes produced during the Second World War were overprinted with different letters so that particular batches could be identified and removed from circulation if they were lost in transit between the printers in Britain and Dublin. Notes issued on and from 1961 no longer bore the promise of exchange in London. In 1971 the £1, £5 and £10 received the addition of a metal security thread.
Each note has a portrait of a woman on the obverse, believed to be Lady Lavery
– wife of the artist Sir John Lavery
, who was commissioned to design this feature. Each note also contains a watermark of the Head of Erin.
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
in 1928
1928 in Ireland
-Events:*January 29 - In Belfast, members of the nationalist opposition protest at the Ulster Unionist Party government's plan to abolish Proportional representation.*January 31 - The outgoing Governor-General, T. M. Healy leaves the Vice-Regal Lodge...
and were the first banknotes created by and for the state; the series continued to be issued when the Free State became the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The notes served from 1928 to 1977 and were replaced by Series B notes.
Banknotes
The Currency CommissionCurrency Commission (Ireland)
The Currency Commission , was created by the as part of the policy of the Irish Free State to create the 'Saorstát pound'. The Currency Commission commissioned the Series A Banknotes, through the advice of an advisory commission...
of the Irish Free State prescribed the design of the notes and received advice from an advisory commission. Waterlow and Sons
Waterlow and Sons
The Waterlow and Sons Limited was a major worldwide engraver of currency, postage stamps, stocks and bond certificates established in 1897, in England.-Portuguese Bank Note Crisis:...
, Limited, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
printed the notes on behalf of the commission. The series consists of seven notes.
The predominant theme on the notes is the rivers of Ireland
Rivers of Ireland
The longest river in Ireland is the The longest river in [[Ireland]] is the The longest river in [[Ireland]] is the [[River Shannon, 386 km . The river develops into three lakes along its course, [[Lough Allen]], [[Lough Ree]] and [[Lough Derg |Lough Derg]]. Of these, Lough Derg is the...
which are depicted as heads taken from the Custom House
The Custom House
The Custom House is a neoclassical 18th century building in Dublin, Ireland which houses the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government...
in Dublin. Rivers in both the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
were chosen and there is some uncertainty as to what rivers were chosen on particular denominations.
The Currency Commission notes were printed with Currency Commission/Coimisiún Airgid Reatha and Irish Free State/Saorstát Éireann with facsmiles of the signatures of the Chairman of the Currency Commission/Cathaoirleach Choimisiúin an Airgid Reatha and of the Secretary of the Department of Finance/Rúnaí na Roinne Airgid. When the Constitution of Ireland
Constitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
had legal effect Ireland was substituted for Irish Free State, Éire for Saorstát Éireann.
In 1943 additional changes were made when the Central Bank Act 1942 gave legal effect. The Currency Commission was replaced with Central Bank of Ireland
Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland
The Central Bank of Ireland is the financial services regulator of Ireland and historically the central bank. The bank was the issuer of Irish pound banknotes and coinage until the introduction of the euro currency, and now provides this service for the European Central Bank.The bank was founded...
/Banc Ceannais na hÉireann on the notes and the signature of the chairman was replaced with that of Governor/An Ghobharnóir.
Banknotes produced during the Second World War were overprinted with different letters so that particular batches could be identified and removed from circulation if they were lost in transit between the printers in Britain and Dublin. Notes issued on and from 1961 no longer bore the promise of exchange in London. In 1971 the £1, £5 and £10 received the addition of a metal security thread.
Each note has a portrait of a woman on the obverse, believed to be Lady Lavery
Hazel Lavery
Hazel, Lady Lavery was a painter and the second wife of the celebrated portrait artist Sir John Lavery. She is remembered for having her likeness appearing on Banknotes of the Republic of Ireland for much of the 20th century.- Life :Born in Chicago, Hazel Martyn was the only daughter of Edward...
– wife of the artist Sir John Lavery
John Lavery
Sir John Lavery was an Irish painter best known for his portraits.Belfast-born John Lavery attended the Haldane Academy, in Glasgow, in the 1870s and the Académie Julian in Paris in the early 1880s. He returned to Glasgow and was associated with the Glasgow School...
, who was commissioned to design this feature. Each note also contains a watermark of the Head of Erin.
| Image | Value | Dimensions, millimetres | Main Colour | Reverse Design | Issued | Withdrawn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
10s | 78 × 138 | Orange | River Blackwater Munster Blackwater The Blackwater or Munster Blackwater is a river which flows through counties Kerry, Cork, and Waterford in Ireland. It rises in the Mullaghareirk Mountains in County Kerry and then flows in an easterly direction through County Cork, through Mallow and Fermoy... in Munster Munster Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes... . |
10 September 1928 | 6 June 1968 |
 |
£1 | 84 × 151 | Green | River Lee River Lee (Ireland) The Lee is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork City, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's city centre is built, and empties into the Celtic Sea at Cork Harbour on the... (uncertain) |
10 September 1928 | 30 September 1976 |
 |
£5 | 92 × 165 | Brown | River Lagan River Lagan The River Lagan is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 40 miles from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. The River Lagan forms much of the border between County Antrim and County Down. It rises as a tiny fast... |
10 September 1928 | 5 September 1975 |
 |
£10 | 108 × 191 | Blue | River Bann River Bann The River Bann is the longest river in Northern Ireland, the total length being 80 miles . The river winds its way from the south east corner of Northern Ireland to the north west coast, pausing in the middle to widen into the enormous Lough Neagh... |
10 September 1928 | 2 December 1976 |
 |
£20 | 114 × 203 | Red | River Boyne River Boyne The River Boyne is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newbury Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through County Meath to reach the Irish Sea between Mornington, County Meath and Baltray, County Louth. Salmon... |
10 September 1928 | 24 March 1976 |
 |
£50 | 114 × 203 | Mauve | River Lee River Lee (Ireland) The Lee is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork City, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's city centre is built, and empties into the Celtic Sea at Cork Harbour on the... or River Shannon River Shannon The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception... |
10 September 1928 | 4 April 1977 |
 |
£100 | 114 × 203 | Olive | River Shannon River Shannon The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception... or River Erne River Erne The River Erne , in the northwest of Ireland, rises in Beaghy Lough, two miles south of Stradone in County Cavan and flows 64 miles through Lough Gowna, Lough Oughter and Upper and Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, to the sea at Ballyshannon, County Donegal... |
10 September 1928 | 4 April 1977 |