Closer inspection reveals the melon to be a boat and the cocktail sticks, oars.
Technically, the vessel is an ocean-going currach, we were informed by Dr Pat Wallace, Director of the National Museum, where the coin was introduced yesterday. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, posed with the real Broighter, currently on display at the museum. The coin was designed by Alan Ardiff and Garrett Stokes after they won a competition held by the Millennium Committee. While the mood was celebratory, the governor of the Central Bank, Mr Maurice O'Connell, struck a sombre note. After taking possession of his specially encased edition the Taoiseach said the new coin was something everybody in the country would want to keep as a memento.