Dead Man's Penny

Irish Gift Solutions recently received an unusual request to make a special housing for a commemorative penny from the First World War. The penny was received by the family in honour of service by the young Irishman. The customer was particularly interested in using Bog Wood for this piece as she felt the quality and texture of the wood would serve to enhance the importance of the penny.

Together with the customer we carefully chose the right piece of BogWood to hold such a precious memento of our history. Each person will see a different shape when they look at a piece of wood, but we all saw Co. Mayo when we looked at this particular piece. The rugged edges of the wood reflect the coastline and a carefully measured circular area was cleared to house the coin.

Mayo holds a special place in our customer’s heart, as that is where Private Michael Fallon hails from. He fought and tragically died in World War 1 and his family have treasured his “Dead Man’s Penny” down through the generations.

 “Dead Man’s Pennies” were issued after World War 1 to the families of British and Empire servicemen and women who had perished as a result of battle. The “pennies” were cast from bronze and are approximately 5 inches in diameter. The design was chosen from a public competition that received over 800 submissions. Edward Carter Preston’s design features Britannia, with her head bowed, holding a trident in her right hand with her left hand outstretched and bearing a wreath. A rectangle bears the name, but not the rank, of the deceased in raised letters. The soldier’s rank was not included as there is no distinction in death between the sacrifices made. A lion stands at Britannia’s feet with a second lion at the base of the penny seen devouring a Prussian Eagle. Two dolphins also feature on the penny symbolising the sea power of the Empire. Around the coin are the words “He died for freedom and honour”. The reverse of the “penny” was left blank as they were designed for display.

Thousands of young Irishmen were involved in the Great War. They went off seeking adventure expecting the fight to be over by Christmas. They received little training before they were despatched to the trenches and their fate was a story told many times over.

Bog Wood gifts

All you want to know about Bog Wood but were afraid to ask…

Approximately 6000 thousand years ago Ireland had many great forests of oak, yew and pine. Where are they today? Well, the ruthless farming techniques of many Stone Age farmers and some fairly dramatic climate changes destroyed much of the tree cover and when that was gone marshy bog lands developed which covered much of what remained and buried it for years and years.

The trees and stumps left behind became waterlogged and eventually buried as the bogs expanded. They were preserved in anaerobic (no oxygen) bog waters. This slowed and eventually stopped the decaying process and the tannins in the water worked to change the colour of the wood. The remains of these forests are found 4.5m – 6m deep in the bogs.

The trees while being preserved have undergone great chemical changes over time. The wood changes colour determined by the type of bog and area. Bog Wood is sourced from bog lands in Longford, Westmeath, Roscommon and Offaly. Modern life practices such as development, road building and demands for fuels have all been cutting away at the bog lands for many years which has exposed this rich artist’s treasure. Bog Wood is a rare resource which is unique both in colour and feel.

Once the wood is out of the bog you can imagine there is a long drying period and this can take from 1-4 years to complete. Some wood is kiln dried to speed up the process but artists need to be very careful here as this can make the wood brittle. At Irish Gift Solutions though we only choose the best air dried Bog Wood pieces. No two are the same and we have great fun guessing the shapes when we receive a new batch. Bog Wood is a timeless link to our heritage and provides an elegant yet sturdy gift for all special occasion.

Bog Wood can be engraved to create very individual gifts for weddings, anniversaries, christening gifts from Godparents. Bog wood is also an impressive addition to the opening of a new building or premises.

Who would have though that the depths of these bogs would provide artists with their raw material and inspiration?