post box

Wall-mounted cast-iron post box, c. 1915, with ' G.R.' royal cipher and raised crown motif. Raised 'Post Office' lettering to letter flap and foundry name to the base (not read). Set into rubble stone wall to the south-east of Ballyshannon town centre.

An attractive item of street furniture that represents an early surviving artefact of mass-produced cast-iron ware. Its survival is testament to the quality of its original design and of the materials used in its manufacturing. The modest design of the box is enhanced by the royal cipher (identifying the reign of King George V 1910 - 1936) and the crown motif, which enliven the appearance of this otherwise functional object. Post boxes with the G.R. insignia are quite rare in Ireland, as they were erected only during a few years before independence. Many pre-independence post boxes were simply painted green and retained their royal insignia but are now becoming an increasingly rare sight and are worthy of retention as historical artefacts. This post box may have been cast by W.T. Allen and Company of London (1881 - 1955), who were responsible for many of the G.R. era post boxes in Ireland. This post box makes a positive contribution to the streetscape/landscape to the south-east of Ballyshannon town centre, adding historical incident to its location along East Port.