A stamp to commemorate the Miami Showband, forever associated with one of the worst atrocities of the Northern Troubles, was issued by An Post today.
The 55-cent stamp is part of a set of four designed to celebrate the golden age of Ireland’s showband era from the 1950s to the early 1970s.
The stamps, designed by artist Steve Simpson, are based on photographs from the era, and also feature three other well-known bands, The Drifters, The Freshmen, and The Royal.
At the height of its popularity, up to 700 showband acts were said to be criss-crossing the country on a nightly basis.
Three members of the Miami Showband were murdered by the UVF after their minibus was flagged down by paramilitaries posing as British army soldiers in Co Down in 1975.
The band’s frontman Fran O’Toole, guitarist Tony Geraghty and trumpeter Brian McCoy died in the attack, along with two gunmen who were killed while trying to plant a bomb on the minibus.
Singer Des Lee and Steven Travers survived the attack, despite being shot by the gunmen.
An Post’s Barney Whelan said: "Irish Stamps speak volumes about the high regard in which their subject is held by this State and by its people.
“As these new stamps travel on letters and parcels throughout this island and abroad, they carry with them our pride, respect, fondness and admiration for the Showband era as whole; and for all those individuals and groups who made it so very special," he said.
The stamp can be purchased online at www.irishstamps.ie, from main post offices or from the GPO Philatelic Shop.