Irish

O’Neill Money: The Irish “Rebel Money” of the 1640s, the battle flag of the Confederated Catholics, and Eoghan Ruadh Ua Néill – Oisín Mac Conamhna

Irish “Rebel Money” has long been a numismatic enigma, as no record of its production survives. This note highlights that the encircled cross potent on the obverse of the coinage was the emblem on the battle flag of the Confederated Catholics, and attributes the production of the coinage to Eoghan Ruadh Ua Néill, the only Irish general since the advent of firearms to defeat a regular British army on an open battlefield; and dates the coinage to the immediate aftermath of the battle of Binn Bhorb (Benburb) in June 1646, two months after Ua Néill received approximately £10,000 in silver from Rome. 

A Contemporary Counterfeit Irish Base Shilling of Elizabeth I, c.1559 – Gary Oddie

This note takes a close look at a counterfeit shilling found in a hoard possibly from Co. Tipperary in Ireland sometime around 1966. The hoard comprised exclusively the base coins (white money) that were circulating in Ireland prior to the introduction of a “fine” (11oz) silver coinage in 1561. These factors leave only a very narrow window for the manufacture of the counterfeit and the deposition of the hoard. A further piece, originally suspected to be another contemporary counterfeit, is shown to be a worn genuine coin.

The Limerick Soviet Shilling Notes – 1919 and 2019 – Gary Oddie

Shortly after the Irish war of Independence began in January 1919, several areas declared themselves as self-governing Soviets. When Limerick was declared a Special Military area by the British army on 9 April, a general strike was called to start on the 14th and the Limerick Soviet began. Negotiations brought an end to the strike on 27 April. From 15-27 April a series of 1, 5 and 10 shilling notes were issued, and these are well-known to collectors.  Less well known are the 1, 5 and 10 shilling notes that were issued in Limerick for the centenary celebrations. The notes circulated in several Limerick shops and businesses, exchanging at 1 shilling = 1 euro, and ceased circulation at midnight on 1 May 2019. There are similarities with the British Transition Town notes such as the Bristol, Lewes or Totnes Pounds.

The Jacks put to their Trumps: A Tale of a King James’s Irish Shilling – Gary Oddie

This short note presents details of a recent chance find of a pamphlet dated 1714. The 27 verses describe, in the first person, the life of a gunmoney shilling in the decades after its issue. This work was once attributed to Jonathan swift, though not conclusively. The work has similarities to better-known works by Joseph Addison (Adventures Of A Shilling, 1710) and John Taylor (A Shilling, or, the travailes of a twelve pence, 1621).

Some gunmoney-related evidence in French diplomatic and military correspondence, 1689-90 – Oisín Mac Conamhna

The purpose of this note is to highlight some evidence of relevance to gunmoney in French correspondence of 1689-90, particularly that of Antoine de Mesmes, the Comte d’Avaux, the French ambassador to the Irish court of James II.[1] Reference is also made to correspondence held in French state, military, and naval archives, which was published in the 1980s.