Cork 2005: Minister for Communications Mr Noel Dempsey is to preside at the unveiling of two new stamps commissioned by An Post to mark Cork 2005.

The formal event, which will also be attended by the Lord Mayor Cllr Sean Martin, will be held at the City Hall on Friday, March 4th, when the pair of 48-cent stamps will be revealed before going on general sale on Monday March 7th.

They are the work of theatre designer Patrick Murray (currently working on the forthcoming The Halfpenny Bridge) and when used together form a panorama of the city's buildings, a view much appreciated by An Post whose spokesperson said it was delighted that Murray had been available and willing to accept such a landmark commission. An Post has also been carrying out a refurbishment of the GPO in Cork, and this will be the scene of an exhibition of a selection of stamps of Cork relevance drawn from its archive since the foundation of the state, opening on March 7th to coincide with the new issue.