The green post box, in various shapes and sizes, is a familiar sight on city streets and country roads throughout Ireland.
Introduced well over 150 years ago by the novelist, Anthony Trollope, who worked for the Post Office in Ireland for several years, the letter box is an instantly recognized symbol of the Post Office. The intention was to make it easier for people to post their letters and make it unnecessary for them to have to wait for a post office to open. The first boxes appeared on the streets of cities like Dublin, Belfast and Cork over 150 years ago and were subsequently introduced elsewhere. The big pillar boxes were soon joined by smaller boxes that fitted into walls and later by lamp boxes which were cheaper to make and could be attached to lamp and telegraph poles
Quite apart from their decorative and utilitarian qualities, Irish post boxes have symbolic value too. Before Irish independence post boxes were red but one of the first acts of the new Irish Government was to order that green would be the new colour for Post Office letter boxes. Sometimes a bit of red paint still shows through! The symbols of our past – in the form of crowns and royal insignia – take their place alongside the signs of independence – Saorstát Eireann, P&T and, of course, An Post.
Item description:
High Quality archival photographic 6x4" print in an ivory card stock mount with an overall size of 8x6". Each mounted print is backed with card to protect it in transit and is packed in a cellophane bag.