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Early life and family

(1) Millicent Grace Girling was born in Waterford on the 23rd of June, 1901. She was born with 3 older brothers, William, Frank and Noel Girling, and two parents, George and Grace who all lived and grew up in the rural area of County Waterford. From an early age, she obtained a passion for art when she was young and ended up being a teacher of design at “ The Dublin Metropolitan School of Art “ in the early 1920s which is now considered Ireland's oldest art institution. Offering the largest range of art and design degrees at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Ireland today.

(2) In 1922, a newly appointed Irish postmaster, General J.J Walsh, announced an artistic competition for the new Irish stamp to be created. There were entries from many Irish artists including, James Ingram, Lily Williams, John K. O'Reilly and of course Millicent Grace Girling. (3) Millicent's stamp was accepted and it featured the four provinces of Ireland, Leinster (Harp), Connaught (divided eagle), Ulster (Bloody hand on a cross) and Munster (The three crowns) representing the four provinces with their emblems. There were 3 other stamps created the following year, Williams's design featured a cross, based on the 12th century, “ Cross of Cong” and Oreilly's design was of “A Claidheamh Soluis”, which meant a “Sword of light”.

(4) On August 8th, 1930 Miss Millicent Grace Girling was married to Mr Keith Cranston Mann in St Marks Parish church, Portadown. The newlyweds then travelled to Switzerland for their honeymoon after what was described as a “pretty wedding”. They both lived on to have a happy life and on the 2nd November 1993, Millicent Grace Girling passed away in England where she had been living. This was the very last of available, reliable information regarding Millicent's Early life which was published. She is remembered as one of the great Irish artists who produced the stamp illustration that was produced at a time in Ireland during which they were fighting for independence from England giving it a powerful image with a voice behind it.

(1) Dictionary of Irish artists : 20th Century : Snoddy, theo, 1922- : Free download, Borrow, and streaming (1970) Internet Archive. Available at: https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofiris0000snod

(2) What Ireland’s first stamps told the world about the new state. (2021). www.rte.ie. [online] Available at: https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2021/0808/1222847-irish-free-state-stamps-design-james-ingram-lily-williams-millicent-grace-girling-john-j-oreilly/

(3)Wright, M. and Walsh, J. (1962). EIRE PHILATELIC ASSOCIATION (International) Issued Bi-Monthly. [online] Available at: https://www.irishphil.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/1962-Vol-12-No.6-Issue-69.pdf

(4) Through the archives: Portadown Church setting for ‘pretty’ wedding ceremony (2020) Belfast News Letter. Available at: https://www.newsletter.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/through-the-archives-portadown-church-setting-for-pretty-wedding-ceremony-2932071 ‌ ‌ ‌