post box

Cast-iron post box, installed c.1905. Rectangular moulded frame with single aperture. Royal insignia of Edward VII to top, lettering 'Post Office' to letter slot, and maker's mark under side-hung door. Set in recent red brick pier to boundary wall of Saint Michael's Church.

This post box is an example of mass-produced cast-iron work, with raised insignia enhancing the modest design of the piece. The royal cipher and crown motif are of special interest, constituting a physical reminder of the relationship between Ireland and the British Empire, and was manufactured during the kingship of Edward VII (1901-1910). Many pre-Independence post boxes were simply repainted green and retained this royal insignia, those with that of Edward VII being quite rare given the shortness of his reign. Located outside St. Michael’s Catholic Church at a prominent junction at Corcaghan, this letter box is still in regular use and remains a socially important piece of the local street furniture.