Punt nua
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=October 2013}}
{{multiple|
{{notability|web|date=March 2012}}
{{coi|date=February 2025}}
}}
Punt Nua (English: 'new pound'; sign: PN£) was a parody currency and internet meme devised by Irish graphic designer, Con Kennedy.{{cite web |url=http://www.conkennedy.ie/news/puntnua/puntnua.html |title=Con Kennedy Visual Communications | News | Punt Nua |publisher=Conkennedy.ie |access-date=2012-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203085110/http://www.conkennedy.ie/news/puntnua/puntnua.html |archive-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=dead }} First published on Twitter in early December 2011,{{cite web|url=http://twitpic.com/7mrdgj |title=Introducing an Punt Nua. With the demise of the EURO insight,... on Twitpic |publisher=Twitpic.com |access-date=2012-07-31}} within hours of publishing, the images became a viral phenomenon. Articles featuring the proposed designs for Punt Nua appeared in the Irish Independent{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-designer-comes-up-with-a-cheeky-take-on-images-for-punt-nua-if-euro-collapses-26797946.html |title=Irish designer comes up with a cheeky take on images for Punt Nua if Euro collapses |work=Irish Independent |access-date=2012-07-31}} and in the Carlow People.{{cite web |url=http://www.carlowpeople.ie/news/lecturer-causes-currency-sensation-2954975.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729020709/http://www.carlowpeople.ie/news/lecturer-causes-currency-sensation-2954975.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-29 |title=Lecturer causes currency sensation |publisher=Carlowpeople.ie |access-date=2012-07-31 }} In the following days, several other Irish and international media outlets covered the proposed designs.
Origins and concept
Kennedy developed the concept of 'Punt Nua' after hearing numerous reports in the Irish media{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/2011-12-08.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918043414/http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/2011-12-08.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-18 |title=RTÉ.ie Radio1: Liveline – Thursday 8th December 2011 |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |access-date=2012-07-31 }} of a possible return to the Irish Pound after a possible exit from the Euro. Kennedy, who was a lecturer in Carlow IT at the time, devised his own interpretation of what the new currency may look like.{{cite web|url=http://entertainment.ie/celebrity_gossip/Fancy-a-Butchers-at-Our-New-Currency/95081.htm |title=Gossip | Fancy a Butchers at Our New Currency? | Reviewed by |publisher=entertainment.ie |date=2011-12-09 |access-date=2012-07-31}}
The designs for the parody notes featured those who Kennedy believed to be responsible for Ireland's economic problems, the post-2008 banking crisis and a possible exit from the single currency.{{cite web|url=http://theamerican.ie/irishman-develops-new-irish-currency-in-case-euro-fails/ |title=Irishman develops new Irish currency in case Euro fails |publisher=Theamerican.ie |date=2011-12-02 |access-date=2012-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111222075223/http://theamerican.ie/irishman-develops-new-irish-currency-in-case-euro-fails/ |archive-date=22 December 2011 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.worldirish.com/story/295-puntnua-playfully-proposes-new-currency-for-ireland |title=#PuntNua Playfully Proposes New Currency for Ireland, WorldIrish |publisher=Worldirish.com |date=2011-12-02 |access-date=2012-07-31 |archive-date=12 April 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130412043652/http://www.worldirish.com/story/295-puntnua-playfully-proposes-new-currency-for-ireland |url-status=usurped }} This figures from Irish political life and the banking sector, used in the designs, included:
The half uncial typeface used on the proposed designs for Punt Nua was designed by Kennedy in the 1990s.{{cite web|url=http://luc.devroye.org/fonts-27620.html |title=Con Kennedy |publisher=Luc.devroye.org |access-date=2012-07-31}}
Media coverage
The notes were covered on several Irish current affairs and light entertainment programmes, including RTÉ's Saturday Night Show,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i7tyjStj1Y&context=C4084620ADvjVQa1PpcFMV1k7FsLdc-Dg_tWB5uwLcHAqryQKxVsY= |title=Punt Nua Design featured on The Saturday Show |via=YouTube |date=2012-02-08 |access-date=2012-07-31}} The Daily Show{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH0XBMPyJjQ&context=C46a7ae3ADvjVQa1PpcFMV1k7FsLdc-Kw6k5Y-6I94YOZRvBv3geg= |title=Punt Nua designs featured on The Daily Show |via=YouTube |access-date=2012-07-31}} and current affairs programmes, such as Radio 1's Liveline,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNE7taJKUb0&context=C4cf4187ADvjVQa1PpcFMV1k7FsLdc-NYY0-173wfNqzISqtpQtfg= |title=Punt Nua featured on LiveLine |via=YouTube |date=2012-02-08 |access-date=2012-07-31}} TV3's Tonight with Vincent Browne,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rog4UsmNZ2k&context=C4f681a0ADvjVQa1PpcFMV1k7FsLdc-EV4qvOGpn-N5UX33rHzdIc= |title=Punt Nua designs featured on Tonight with Vincent Browne |via=YouTube |access-date=2012-07-31}} 98FM News{{cite web|url=http://www.98fm.com/2011/category-news-sport/check-out-punt-nua-designs/ |title=Check Out the 'Punt Nua' Designs « 98FM: Dublin's Best Music Mix |publisher=98fm.com |date=2011-12-02 |access-date=2012-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105033259/http://www.98fm.com/2011/category-news-sport/check-out-punt-nua-designs/ |archive-date= 5 January 2012 }} and Inside Ireland.{{cite web|last=McMackin |first=Lisa |url=http://insideireland.ie/2011/12/02/designer-creates-tongue-in-cheek-punt-nua-44460/ |title=Designer creates tongue-in-cheek Punt nua » Inside Ireland |publisher=Insideireland.ie |date=2011-12-02 |access-date=2012-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529221118/http://insideireland.ie/2011/12/02/designer-creates-tongue-in-cheek-punt-nua-44460/ |archive-date=29 May 2012 }}
Coverage of Punt Nua extended to international media such as Forbes.com{{cite news|url=http://specials.forbes.com/article/0bpNe7F87ogef |website=Forbes |access-date=2023-09-12 |title=Wayback Machine has not archived that URL.}}{{dead link|date=January 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} and Finnish television station Yle.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHHQ_txKxfw&context=C4c90134ADvjVQa1PpcFMV1k7FsLdc-JgFn7vEz-ADrHA1cQYfcfQ= |title=Punt Nua designs featured on Finnish TV |via=YouTube |access-date=2012-07-31}} Punt Nua was also included, by the WorldIrish.com diaspora website, in a list of viral events from 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.worldirish.com/story/358-reeling-in-the-year |title=Reeling in the Year, WorldIrish |publisher=Worldirish.com |date=2011-12-29 |access-date=2012-07-31 |archive-date=12 April 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130412043751/http://www.worldirish.com/story/358-reeling-in-the-year |url-status=usurped }}
An exhibition, titled Punt Nua: Creative Economics, was held in Dublin in June 2012.{{cite web|url = https://www.thejournal.ie/taking-a-punt-art-takes-on-corruption-and-recession-472313-Jun2012/#slide-slideshow1 | website = thejournal.ie | title = Taking a Punt: Art takes on corruption and recession | date = 2 June 2012 | accessdate = 3 February 2025 }}