The best model in the twentieth century for an evolved peace has been Ireland and Great Britain. After centuries of British occupation, the Irish finally obtained independence in 1922 through armed struggle and political effort. Early relations between the Irish Republic and the balance of Great Britain were difficult and even in the last twenty years terrorist violence over Northern Ireland (part of the island of Ireland that the British retained control over) has continued. Peace has finally broken out though, and it is attributed, more than anything else, to rising living standards in the Irish Republic. Politicians on both side of the Irish Sea realized that better opportunities for young people deprive terrorists and political extremists of their raw material-martyrs. It is a crazy person indeed that prefers strapping a bomb to himself to the prospect of a good job where he can get ahead and find a wife and have a family. When politicians provide those prospects to young people there can be peace and it is to the Anglo Irish credit that they seemed to have solved one of the most tenacious political hostilities of the last three hundred years. Irish stamps date from the first year of Independence in 1921. The first issues reflect the influence of Great Britain as the stamps are overprints on the Seahorse issues. Numerous varieties exist. The rarest stamps are the coils and the illustrated two penny item is one of only twelve known.
