 Two distinct overprints were made , before and after the formal independence of the state on 6 December 1922 . The Provisional Government of Ireland ( Rialtas Sealadach na hÉireann ) overprints were initially issued on 17 February 1922 , with eight low @-@ value and three high @-@ value stamps overprinted by Dollard and four by Thom . This overprint is composed of the four words Rialtas Sealadach na hÉireann and the numeral date 1922 arranged in five lines of seriffed text . The <unk> stamps remained valid for postage in Ireland until 31 March 1922 . 
