Central Bank of Ireland - 75 Years of Public Service

1 February 2018 marked the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the Central Bank of Ireland.

This important milestone provides the opportunity to pause and reflect on our past and consider the contribution the Central Bank has made over the decades to the history of the State, the European project and the people of Ireland.

The last seven and a half decades have been marked by challenges and change as the Central Bank adapted to a shifting economic and regulatory landscape.

 From becoming the government’s banker to producing Ireland’s currency; from decimalisation to the euro changeover; through times of economic growth and major financial crises.

The following documentary film takes you through the history of the organisation

This infographic outlines our role and functions

Programme of events

To commemorate this significant anniversary, the Central Bank launched a varied programme of events aimed at a range of audiences, including the public, academics and our international colleagues.

• In keeping with our role of issuing currency, we ran a schools art competition which invited students of all ages to take inspiration from significant people and events from the past 75 years to design their own coin. The response was phenomenal. An award ceremony was held in May for the winning entries.
• An exciting new exhibition on the history of the Central Bank opened in late-February 2018. Full details on how you can visit are available on our Visitor Centre page.
• We also hosted an exhibition at the Ploughing Championships, which took place 18-20 September in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.
• The Central Bank took part in Culture Night held 21 September.
• Finally we’ll be taking part in Open House in October (registration details to follow).

Check back at this page for more updates on our 75th Anniversary Programme.

See also:

• Central Bank Archive
• Three Quarter-Centuries of Central Banking in Ireland