By John Considine
In advance of next Sunday's All-Ireland hurling finals it is worth looking at the changes in the price of the match-day programme (or Clar Oifigiuil). The picture below presents 50 years of data. The prices are presented in terms of our present currency regime. Looking back it is interesting to note the number of monetary changes during the period.
The booklet has cost €5 (or 500 cents) for the last fifteen years. Prior to the move to the Euro, the purchaser handed over pounds and pence. This was the case for all of the 20th century years in the picture. In the majority of those years there were 100 pennies in a pound. However, this was not the case at the start of the period. Those two red triangles are from a period where there was 240 pennies in a pound. For those two years, the programme cost 1 shilling (or 12 pence).
The booklet has cost €5 (or 500 cents) for the last fifteen years. Prior to the move to the Euro, the purchaser handed over pounds and pence. This was the case for all of the 20th century years in the picture. In the majority of those years there were 100 pennies in a pound. However, this was not the case at the start of the period. Those two red triangles are from a period where there was 240 pennies in a pound. For those two years, the programme cost 1 shilling (or 12 pence).
The move to decimalisation, and the move to the Euro, made an explicit difference to the way the price (or Luach) was presented on the cover of the booklet. Another important monetary change did not have the same explicit impact. Because of the close relationship between Ireland and the UK, the majority of the citizens were aware of the break with sterling in 1979. Prior to 1979 one Irish pound could be exchanged for one pound sterling. Even as a teenager, I remember discussions of how the Irish pound had lost value against Sterling after this happened. I don't remember whether it was given as a reason for an increase in the programme price at the time.
During the 1970s and early 1980s Ireland experienced high rates of inflation. Programme price changes were no exception. In the period to 1984 there were three 100% increases, one 60% increase, and two 25% increases in programme prices. In later years the price has changes by 50% on two occasions.
It would be fair to say that income changes also influenced the amount of money handed over for the programme. It is no surprise that there was no change in the price during the decade since 2007.
Rather than annual change in prices there are a series of step changes. The size of the price changes make sense in terms of the way the transaction takes place. The majority of vendors stand close to the points where people enter the ground. To facilitate the transaction, it is useful if the price is readily made up of easily handled units of currency. Exchanging a €5 note for the programme is a neat transaction. The next increase will probably take the price to €6 or €7.
During the 1970s and early 1980s Ireland experienced high rates of inflation. Programme price changes were no exception. In the period to 1984 there were three 100% increases, one 60% increase, and two 25% increases in programme prices. In later years the price has changes by 50% on two occasions.
It would be fair to say that income changes also influenced the amount of money handed over for the programme. It is no surprise that there was no change in the price during the decade since 2007.
Rather than annual change in prices there are a series of step changes. The size of the price changes make sense in terms of the way the transaction takes place. The majority of vendors stand close to the points where people enter the ground. To facilitate the transaction, it is useful if the price is readily made up of easily handled units of currency. Exchanging a €5 note for the programme is a neat transaction. The next increase will probably take the price to €6 or €7.
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