Ireland · 100 years of the Easter Rising of 1916

The coin depicts the statue HIBERNIA on the roof of the General Post Office, the capture of which marked the beginning of the Easter Rising in 1916. The name of the statue, a symbol of Ireland, can be traced back to the Ancient Greek name for Ireland. The statue is a work by the sculptor John Smyth and is regarded as a witness to the events of 1916 and, for one hundred years, as a symbol of the country’s development based on the ideals of the Proclamation. Its gaze is directed towards the future; it is equally a symbol of the country’s past, present and future. At the upper edge of the inner circle, “HIBERNIA” appears in handwritten lettering—a reference to the historical “Book of Kells”. The rays of the sun symbolise the Rising and the Proclamation, which marked the beginning of the development of a new nation and a new republic. The years “1916” and “2016” appear beside the statue. At the lower edge of the inner circle is the name of the issuing country, “Eire”, and below it the year of issue, “2016”.

The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer coin ring.