Sir, – Recent letters lamenting the replacement of ancient post boxes by An Post are commendable. Of further interest is the fact that so many early ones have survived in Ireland, doubtless due in part to the easy-going pace of life before the modernisation mania of the Tiger era.
One at Kent station in Cork is thought to be a model dating from 1857, and the only surviving example in service anywhere in the world. Other curiosities survive elsewhere in the State.
Strangely, although post boxes were introduced in 1852 the colour was actually standardised as green in 1859, and only changed to red in 1874 – before reverting to green in Ireland after independence. British post boxes were utilised widely across the empire and thus survive in numerous countries, where in some instances they have been re-coloured after independence.
These working relics are historic and should be retained in service for the appreciation of the public, and not relegated to museums or destroyed. – Yours, etc,