10 October 2018
|
Staff of An Post, Ireland's post office, observed a minute’s silence in memory of their postal colleagues who lost their lives aboard the RMS Leinster 100 years ago on 10 October, 1918, whilst a new stamp has also been issued
Whether delivering or sorting mail or serving customers at Post Office counters, over 9,000 post office staff paused to remember the 21 postal sorters who were among more than 500 people killed when the RMS Leinster was torpedoed by a German submarine and sank within sight of Dun Laoghaire. The event is
Ireland's worst maritime disaster.
The sinking of the Leinster was the greatest tragedy of either World War on Irish soil or in Irish waters. The postal staff were at work in the ship’s mailroom when tragedy struck.
An Post have also issued a commemorative stamp, unveiled at the official State commemoration event in Dun Laoghaire.
The stamp features a painting by Irish artist Brian Palm and a special First Day Cover envelope (FDC) has also been made available (from irishstamps.ie and in Dublin’s GPO and main post offices across Ireland).
An Post also commissioned a special performance at Dun Laoghaire’s Pavilion Theatre in which the story of the RMS Leinster will be remembered through music and dramatised readings.