A stiff shot of Irish heritage

THERE'S strong demand out there for being excellently Irish.

So say both the Linen Hall Library and Belfast Telegraph in Ireland, at least.

The Telegraph is hosting the library's extraordinary collection of Irish art, cartoons and photographs in the lead up to creating a Centre of Excellence for Irish Studies. 

While these centres are usually aimed at the local community and researchers, the Telegraph hopes that the nearly 900,000 Australians either born to Irish parents or born in Ireland itself might get all teary-eyed with nostalgia as well.

The Telegraph's gallery contains an extraordinary array of history from postcards and political cartoons to things that defy sane explanation.