Anniversary stamp to commemorate fallen Irish

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will today unveil a postage stamp to commemorate the forthcoming 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme.

More than a million soldiers died in the bloody four-month assault in North France that began on July 1, 1916.

The Government is expected to organise an anniversary ceremony at the Islandbridge War Memorial in Dublin next month to remember the casualties, which included thousands from Ireland.

An Post also issued a stamp to mark the 90th anniversary of the Easter 1916 Rising in April.

Mr Ahern recently said of the Battle of Somme: “More than 5,000 men of the 36th Ulster Division fell in the first two days in July 1916. They fought alongside 200,000 Irish men from every county of Ireland.

“Their bravery was no less than that shown by the insurgents of Easter Week.”

Mr Ahern visited the Somme Museum in Belfast last November.

The Taoiseach will launch the new stamp at Government Buildings this afternoon.