ÉIRE (Ireland) issued on 11 September 1956 a postage stamp honouring Commodore John Barry (1745–1803), an Irish-born naval officer widely considered as the "Father of the American Navy".
The stamp depicted a statue of Barry in his naval uniform, standing with a sword and anchor. This specific issue was one of two stamps released that year to commemorate his life.
Who was John Barry? Born in County Wexford, Ireland, Barry immigrated to Philadelphia and served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War. He was the first captain to command a commissioned American warship and the first to capture a British vessel on the high seas.
In 1797, President George Washington issued him Commission Number 1, making him the first commissioned officer of the newly formed United States Navy at the rank of commodore.
Statues honouring him stand in Wexford, Ireland, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and Franklin Square in Washington, D.C..
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