Postage stamps, the tiny adhesive labels which prove that adequate postage has been paid have also become a venue for story-telling via pictures - Over the years, they have tugged the hearts of nature lovers with pleas from endangered birds and even, brought a smile on the fans of the Simpsons who helped make it the longest running television show ever! None however, have told the entire story literally, until now.

A bright yellow 60 cent stamp recently introduced in Ireland does away with all the picture story telling and instead replaces it with an entire written story that captures the 'essence' of Dublin. Designed by Stone Twins, two Amsterdam-based Irish designers who also happen to be twin brothers, the bright yellow stamp which was unveiled on May 17th was commissioned to celebrate Dublin's 2010 designation as one of UNESCO's City of Literature, an honor bestowed upon only five other cities, worldwide.

The 224-word story, written by 17-year old Eoin Moore, was selected from a host of submissions by elementary and high school students for the 'Essence of Dublin' competition organized by Fighting Words, a creative writing program for students. We wonder if other cities will adopt this rather unique way to showcase what they have to offer the world.

Resources:herald.ie., mhpbooks.com,the journal.ie.