Meet Boánn, the Irish Wolfhound turned model for Ireland’s new passport design

An Irish wolfhound will feature prominently in the redesigned Irish passport, scheduled for introduction in late 2025.

Initial drafts of illustrations set to feature in the new passport were recently presented to Tánaiste Micheál Martin.

A public consultation process last year invited 15,000 Irish people living at home and abroad to give their view on what flora and fauna should feature in the redesigned passport, with the Irish wolfhound selected as the most popular of suggested fauna. A red squirrel and red deer were also popular choices, along with the shamrock, gorse and bluebell.

Artist Denise Nestor’s draft illustration of an Irish wolfhound, presented to Mr Martin, was inspired by three-year-old Boánn, who was bred in the Boyne Valley and is an ambassador of the Irish Wolfhound Club of Ireland.

Supermarket wines: Two great Italian wines to try

---

Brendan O’Connor brings his contrary streak to a cosy conversation about immigration

---

John FitzGerald: An attempt to buy the next election with a giveaway budget would be a gross miscalculation

---

US student protests: Democrats are worried this is 1968 again

---

In a statement, Mr Martin said it was important to see “how the design team is transforming the public’s input into a coherent passport design”.

“The Irish passport is a vital document of the Irish State that provides citizens with visa-free access to 192 countries,” Mr Martin said. “This redesign is fundamental to maintaining the integrity and reputation of the Irish passport worldwide.

“We share this island with a rich variety of plant life and a diverse range of animals and I look forward to seeing future design concepts as they progress.”

Bray firm AG2 has been contracted to design the new Irish passport, which provides citizens with visa-free access to 192 countries.

Wil Byrne, a secure document designer with AG2, said that “the public’s insights” will be incorporated in the redesign.

“Our overall shared ambition is to ensure the Irish passport remains a world leader by creating the most secure and visually appealing passport for Irish citizens,” he said.

To date, the Passport Service issued more than 200,000 passports in 2024.

• Listen to our Inside Politics Podcast for the latest analysis and chat
• Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
• Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date