The Irish Free State was born in December 1921, but the country continued using British coinage for another five years. In 1926, the government decided to introduce a new and distinct Irish coinage of its own.  

A committee was set up under the chairmanship of W.B. Yeats, noted poet and writer, to select suitable designs. The committee invited seven prominent artists to submit proposals for the coinage in accordance with certain guidelines.  These included a requirement that the obverse of the series should show a representation of the harp and that the reverse should show animals or birds. The series consisted of eight coins: Farthing, halfpenny, penny, three-pence, sixpence, shilling, florin and a half-crown. The designs by the famous English artist and medallist Percy Metcalf (1895-1970) were selected.  

Introduction of Decimalisation

Decimal currency was introduced in February 1971 and many of the coins were withdrawn. The shilling and florin were of equal value with the new five pence and ten pence coins, and the original designs were therefore adapted for these coins. The woodcock design was adapted from the redundant farthing to appear on the new fifty pence coin.

New designs were necessary for three decimal coins, the halfpenny, penny and two pence coins, since they did not correspond in value to any of the pre-decimal coins. A noted Irish sculptor and artist, Ms. Gabrielle Hayes (Mrs. G. O'Riordan) was commissioned to design these coins. The obverse of each coin bears the harp and the reverse designs are based on ornamental details from Irish art illuminations contained in old manuscripts.

Introduction of The Euro

In January 2002 the Euro coins were introduced in Ireland. From February 9th, 2002, the existing decimal coins ceased to be legal tender, and Ireland ceased to have it's own unique coinage.  Although the new coins retain the distinctive harp, the obverse is identical to all other Euro countries coins.  

Of all the decimal Irish coins, it is perhaps the designs by Gabrielle Hayes that best embody traditional Irish imagery as they are adaptations of images from Celtic manuscripts and pay homage to the poetic complexity and symmetry of pre-Christian and early Christian art.

Please see below for more information about these plaque designs:

Gabrielle Hayes

The Book of Kells