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Bank of Ireland celebrates a notable achievement
22nd April 2008
The Governor of Bank of Ireland, Richard Burrows, today unveiled the new look of the bank’s Northern Ireland banknotes featuring the iconic Old Bushmills Distillery in Co. Antrim.
The Governor of Bank of Ireland, Richard Burrows, today unveiled the new look of the bank’s Northern Ireland banknotes featuring the iconic Old Bushmills Distillery in Co. Antrim.
Accompanied by Michael Ioakimides, Managing Director Diageo Ireland, Richard Burrows revealed an image of the new notes which has been erected on the outside of the bank’s Northern Ireland headquarters in Donegall Square South in Belfast.
The new Bank of Ireland £5 note goes into circulation today, coinciding with the 400th anniversary of the licence to distil whiskey that was granted to the area around Bushmills in 1608. The new £10 and £20 notes will begin circulating from next month.
It is the first time in 18 years that Bank of Ireland Northern Ireland has re-designed its local notes.
All three denominations feature an artist’s rendering of the famous distillery on the reverse. The image is familiar not just to people in Ireland but to tens of thousands of overseas visitors who come to the distillery every year.
At the unveiling ceremony today Richard Burrows, The Governor of Bank of Ireland, said: “Old Bushmills Distillery has a proud record of achievement as an exporter and has helped put Northern Ireland on the map around the world. As the main employer in Bushmills and a tourist attraction in its own right, the distillery stands out as one of Northern Ireland’s most successful export businesses.
“The distillery symbolises both Northern Ireland’s heritage and its business acumen. As such, its choice as the centrepiece of our notes reflects Bank of Ireland’s desire to support the growth of a globally competitive private sector.”
Michael Ioakimides, who was presented with a specially-framed version of the new notes featuring the number 00000400 to commemorate the anniversary, said: “In this celebratory year I can think of no greater tribute to Old Bushmills Distillery and all its employees than to appear on a series of bank notes which will be circulated in their millions across Northern Ireland.
“It was in April 1608 that King James I granted a licence to distil whiskey to the Bushmills area and since then the distillery has carried on the tradition of whiskey-making. Today, with new investment from Diageo, we are increasing production and developing new markets around the world and I am extremely proud that Old Bushmills is part of the Diageo family at such an exciting time.”
In recognition of the new note issue, Diageo and Bank of Ireland today also announced their intention to jointly fund a new scholarship scheme for Northern Ireland students at the University of Ulster to encourage the development of export marketing skills and contribute to the development of a more globally competitive private sector in Northern Ireland. Discussions are underway with the university about the details of the new scheme.
© Bank of Ireland 2008
