post box

Wall-mounted post box, erected c.1905. Rectangular elevation, having single aperture hooded letter slot. Edward VII cipher, and W. T. Allen maker's mark. Set in rubble stone pier.

Following independence in Ireland, most post boxes were not removed, but simply painted green, and as such are a testament to the political history of the country and are subtle reminders of this heritage and signifiers of cultural appropriation. This post box, bearing the cipher of Edward VII, a relatively rare occurrence a due to the latter’s short reign, is particularly noteworthy. Wall-mounted post boxes such as this one are commonly found in rural Ireland, as they were more suitable to country roads and small volumes of post than pillar boxes. While rural post boxes are commonly found at crossroads, it was possibly erected here to coincide with the use of the house across the road as a presbytery and as such has some social significance also.