A silver proof €15 coin depicting the late Luke Kelly has already been sold out hours after its official launch.
The coin, which forms part of a collection on Irish musicians, was presented at St Laurence O’ Toole’s National School, the musician’s former primary school. It is the final piece to be released under the ‘Modern Musicians Series’, which has also dedicated coins to Rory Gallagher and Phil Lynott.
There were 3,000 units of the coin available for purchase via the Central Bank. The cost of a coin was €64.99 and was limited to one unit per transaction. The President formally introduced the coin at the school ceremony in honour of the singer.
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Mark Cassidy, the Central Bank’s acting deputy manager, said at the launch: “Luke’s impact on and musical contributions to Irish culture were seminal, and he continues to be held in warm regard by generations of people in Ireland. This coin celebrates his legacy and provides a fitting tribute to his memory.”
The coin depicts The Dubliners frontman singing, accompanied alongside the emblem of a banjo. Members of the Dubliners were present at the ceremony, while Luke’s brother Paddy joined in with the school choir for a rendition of “In the Rare Auld Times.”
The coin was supposed to launch in 2020 to coincide with the 80th anniversary of Luke’s birth. However, the release of the coin, which is struck in .925 sterling silver, had to be postponed due to the pandemic.
The coin was designed by visual artist Mary Gregoriy. Her entry for the coin was chosen through a competition. She previously designed coins depicting James Joyce and WB Yeats for the Central Bank.
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