New stamp to remember war poet Ledwidge
An Post is to produce a stamp as part of its 2017 series to mark the centenary of the death of Slane-born World War I poet, Francis Ledwidge.
Ledwidge was a very significant Irish poet and interest in his work and in his life has been growing ahead of the centenary of his death in two years’ time.
Ledwidge was killed in July 1917 during the third battle of Ypres, just short of his 30th birthday.
The decision to commission a commemorative stamp in his honour of the Irish war poet has been welcomed by Labour TD Dominic Hannigan.
“Ledwidge was also a distinguished poet best renowned for his love of the land – he was the real people’s poet. The esteem with which he is held in nationally is reflected in the fact that his work was recently put back on the Leaving Cert syllabus,” said the Meath East TD.
He said the decision to mark the centenary of Ledwidge’s death with a commemorative stamp for 2017 will bring a great sense of pride to the people of Meath and it is a fitting tribute to a man who now joins the ranks of British poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen as leading poets of WWI.
The committee of the Francis Ledwidge Museum in Slane have been actively campaigning to have a special postage stamp issued by An Post to commemorate his death.